What do you do when things go wrong? Who or what is your ‘go-to’?

We face this question all the time because things often seem to go wrong. Your car breaks down at the worst possible time; you get sick when you can’t afford to get sick; someone who you thought was your friend is proving to not be so.

Things often seem to go wrong. There are different responses we can have when this happens. We have different ‘go-to’s’ that help us cope with or fix the situation. One reaction is to white-knuckle, hammer down, and try to fix everything ourselves to get ourselves out of the mess. We just need to try harder; we just need to do more; we just need to think of a creative solution. Another response can be to throw in the towel—to give up, to accept that bad things always seem to happen to us and feel hopeless. A third ‘go-to’ can be to want to distract ourselves from what went so wrong. We can turn to TV shows, video games, books, our phones—anything to keep our minds off of what went wrong.

In the Old Testament, we see a different kind of ‘go-to’ when things go wrong. King Jehoshaphat was the King of the Southern Nation of Judah, and he was being blindsided by a massive, imminent attack from three nations who joined their armies together. The army that was coming against him was great in number, so much so that King Jehoshaphat was afraid. I think we would all have been afraid in that situation, just like we can often be afraid when we face our own difficult and hopeless situations. Even though King Jehoshaphat was afraid, his first ‘go-to’ wasn’t to muster his forces, rally the troops, or give motivational speeches. His ‘go-to’ wasn’t to throw in the towel and accept defeat. He didn’t distract himself with the latest archery exhibit. Instead, he turned his eyes to the Lord.

“For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” 2 Chronicles 20:12.

King Jehoshaphat was afraid. He didn’t know what to do. Doesn’t that speak to us? When things go wrong, we too can be afraid. We too can have no idea what to do. And like King Jehoshaphat, let our ‘go-to’ not be to look to ourselves, not to give up hope, not to distract ourselves. Let us turn our eyes to our God of heaven, in whose hands are power and might. Let our ‘go-to’ be to trust in our God and turn to Him for strength, for peace, and for wisdom.  Just as King Jehoshaphat walked in the fear of God, let us also daily walk with the Lord with a love, a respect, a reverence and trust in Him.

This was the Lord’s response to Jehoshaphat: “Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed. Tomorrow go out against them, and the Lord will be with you.” 2 Chronicles 20:17.

As you go out tomorrow, as things go right, and as things go wrong, turn your eyes to the Lord. When you’re afraid, when you don’t know what to do, turn your eyes to Him, and He will be with you. Make turning to the Lord your ‘go-to’.