Relying on God Through Others

Relying on God through others seems a bit much! As I've gotten older, especially after becoming a mom, I've noticed how much of a control freak I can be. I think it comes from wanting to protect and provide the best for my child, Sage, and even for our dog. Naturally, I want to have a say in everything. So, when it comes to relying on someone else—especially when it involves my well-being or that of my loved ones—it’s challenging. And trusting that God will work through someone else? That’s even tougher.

Key Verses: 
Daniel 2:12-16

"This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death. When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. He asked the king’s officer, 'Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?' Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him."

Exodus 17:10-13

So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.

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Transcript

Relying on God Through Others

Key Verses: Daniel 2:12-16

"This made the king so angry and furious that he ordered the execution of all the wise men of Babylon. So the decree was issued to put the wise men to death, and men were sent to look for Daniel and his friends to put them to death. When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. He asked the king’s officer, 'Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?' Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him."

Exodus 17:10-13

So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.

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As I've gotten older, especially after becoming a mom, I've noticed how much of a control freak I can be. I think it comes from wanting to protect and provide the best for my child, Sage, and even for our dog. Naturally, I want to have a say in everything. So, when it comes to relying on someone else—especially when it involves my well-being or that of my loved ones—it’s challenging. And trusting that God will work through someone else? That’s even tougher.

I’ve had trust issues ever since middle school, which probably sounds silly, but it’s true. There was this major group project in English class. We had to create a video, movie poster, script—you name it. This project counted for 35% of our grade. It also happened during regionals for track, so I was busy. I was responsible for the poster and graphics, and we all agreed to meet up on Saturday to shoot the video. But on Friday night, my races got delayed due to rain, and I didn’t finish running until 1 a.m. on Saturday. I was exhausted, so I called the group to ask if I could come later, around 2 p.m. instead of 1 p.m. They understood and reassured me that they had everything under control and that I should focus on my part—designing the posters and graphics. They told me that I didn’t have to come for the video taping. I offered again to come but they insisted I should rest and focus on my actual responsibility. 

I trusted them, did my part, and we presented in class. But when it came time to grade each other, I got a B-, while everyone else got better grades, including one girl who received an A+. I found out that they had regraded my work behind my back because I didn’t show up for the video taping—even though they told me not to come! I was so hurt and angry. After that, I struggled with trusting others, especially when it came to things that impacted me directly.

But as life goes on, I’ve realized that sometimes you have to trust others. God places people in our lives for a reason, and they can be there to bless us in ways we can’t imagine. A story in the Bible that comes to mind is from the Book of Daniel.

And no, I’m not talking about the lion’s den! This is the story where King Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, had a dream that none of the wise men in his kingdom could interpret, and he threatened to kill them all—including Daniel and his friends.

Daniel 2:17-19 says,

"Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven."

Imagine your life depending on someone else’s ability to hear from God! Daniel’s friends—Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (also known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego)—had to trust that Daniel would receive wisdom to interpret the king’s dream. Their faith in God and in Daniel was literally a matter of life and death. And in the end, God came through. Daniel interpreted the dream, and their lives were spared.

The lesson here? Prayer and relationships matter. Sometimes, building and maintaining relationships is how God works in our lives. You never know when you’ll need both to get through something. Can you trust God to work through others for your good?

When Sage was in her first hospital, I didn’t like her doctor at first. Communication was poor, and I wasn’t happy with the care. I prayed about it, asking God to intervene. Despite my frustrations, I stayed open, respectful, and continued to engage with the doctor. When Sage’s condition worsened, with her brain cavities becoming alarmingly large, the doctor recommended transferring her to Nicklaus Children’s Hospital—a decision that I believe God laid on her heart.

At Nicklaus, everything improved. The care was outstanding, and we were given resources and space that made such a difference during that difficult time. If I hadn’t trusted that doctor, who knows what might have happened? God worked through her, even when I initially didn’t see it.

Working through others to trust God is hard. I always think about the story of Moses holding up his hands till sunset so Israel could defeat the Amalekites. 

Bible says 

Exodus 17:10-13; this story is just so spot on with relying on God through others. 

So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.

When Moses grew tired, Aaron & Hur were there to hold his hands up for him. They had to rely on each other to defeat the enemy. Sometimes we have to hold hands or prop each other up to get to where God wants us to be. We have to rely on others and trust in the Lord to deliver. So the next group project or challenge involving others will you work together and trust or go rouge and block your possible blessing of relying on someone else so God can bless you as well as them? 

Let’s pray