Word of Encouragement (07/17/2024)

And while he was still speaking with them, the messenger came down to him and said, “This trouble is from the Lord! Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?” (2 Kings 6:33)

In the first part of this lament, the king of Israel acknowledged God’s sovereignty, not in a humble confession of faith and submission but in bitter resentment. We know that to be the case by the second part of this lament: “Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?” This question betrays certain sentiments. Disappointment is the first we can detect. It is possible that this was an earnest question that the king posed to Elisha. But that is unlikely; it was rather a rhetorical question. What did he say when he found out that cannibalism was committed in Samaria? “May God do so to me and more also, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today” (v. 31). Elisha, too, said, “Do you see how this murderer has sent to take off my head” (v. 32)?

The question the king posed was not a humble, innocent inquiry; it was an angry declaration that he was done with God. He didn’t feel any need to wait for the Lord. Waiting is a sign of hope and trust. As long as there is hope, we do not give up on waiting. But when the hope is dried up, we stop waiting. This is what the king declared.

We also detect in this rhetorical question the king’s self-righteousness (or a lack of self-awareness). We cannot deny that the king was deeply disappointed. But that does not mean that his disappointment in the Lord was justified. There was no doubt that a great affliction had descended on Israel—the double whammy of a foreign invasion and a famine. Why was Israel facing such a trying time? The king did not see anything wrong with him despite the rampant idolatry and wickedness in his kingdom; he simply blamed God for everything: “This trouble is from the Lord!” So, he decided that he was done with God: he would no longer wait for God’s deliverance; in fact, he was intent on killing Elisha His servant the prophet.

Are you disappointed with the way God is dealing with you? Unlike the king of Israel, you may acknowledge that you are far from being perfect and guilty of many sins. Even so, you may still be disappointed that God is not more merciful or patient with you. Let us beware that such thinking involves self-righteousness, too—a subtle form of it. It is like saying, “I’m so sorry that I hurt you, but....” It is good that we acknowledge our sins before God and ask for His mercy and forgiveness. But this doesn’t mean that we approach Him properly. It is one thing to humbly plead for His mercy on the basis of Jesus’ blood and His covenant promise; it is another to approach Him with a sense of entitlement. How do we know that we are doing the latter? When we feel disappointed or resentful that He is not quick enough to change our difficult situations and make everything OK. That is arrogance, and whatever acknowledgment we make about our unworthiness is just a façade. Let us remember, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you” (James 4:10).

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