I have been guilty of this one. Knowing well that I did not have the funds, but to help me feel better, I would shop till I drop. Have you been there? Some of us tend to substitute things to help us feel better. What is your substitute for feeling better?

We are nearing the conclusion of our examination of the Life of Christ and others from the perspective of Living in a Crucible. 

Symbolically, a crucible is the fiery trials we experience as we grow and develop.

Crucibles are painful, they are uncomfortable, and they hurt, but they are beneficial in developing our character.

From the Sabbath School Adult Bible Study Guide 2022 Quarter 3: Sabbath.School

See also Hope Sabbath School and 3ABN Sabbath School

Inviting the Holy Spirit’s Presence

Holy Father, rather than resorting to things to give us that temporary relief, help us look to you.

In Jesus Name Amen. 

The shopping felt good at the time but, a day or two later, there is the feeling of regret, because I had brought things that I could not afford. As a matter of fact, sometimes I had to return the items I had purchased because they far exceeded my budget. Have you been there?

As we saw from Day 5, God’s will for us can be undermined when we substituted self-reliance for God-reliance. The thing is, God’s will is undermined when we rely on our own strength. God want us not to depend on our own wisdom and strength. He wants us to depend on Him.

Like my shopping sprees, when some people feel depressed, they go shopping for something to make them happy. Today, Amazon makes that easy. How often do you get a package containing something you don’t really need dropped off at your doorstep.

On the other hand, there are those who have low self-worth. They are not satisfied with themselves, so they work hard to become popular or famous. When face with difficulties, some turn to food, drugs, alcohol, or sex.

Likewise when others face difficulties with their spouses, they go looking outside the marriage for intimacy and excitement. When we do these things, we are trying to make ourselves feel better without God. We are substituting these things for God.

These things may help relieve the pressure we feel at the time, but they do not necessarily solve the problem. Nor do they teach us how to handle the situation better the next time stress comes our way. The truth is none of those things can help us. When we are under stress, we need supernatural power. We need divine power. We need that power that comes only from God.

But, rather than depend on God Himself, we depend on substitutes for God.

What are somethings we substitute for God? Here are three substitutes we may use in the place of God.

• Human logic or past experiences. We may depend on what we think or have experienced rather than seek divine guidance.
• Pay no attention. We may choose to pay no attention to our problems and not think about them at all. We block the problems from our minds instead of seeking divine solutions. (Split)
• Avoiding God. We may choose to run away from our problems and to avoid God altogether when what we really need to do is communicate with God and ask for his divine power, divine intervention, and strength.

 “{Those} who loses sight of {their} entire dependence upon God is sure to fall. We are contending with those who are stronger than we. Satan and his hosts are constantly watching to {overwhelm} us with temptations, and in our own strength and wisdom it is impossible for us to withstand them. Hence, whenever we permit our hearts to be drawn away from God, whenever we indulge self-exaltation or self-dependence, we are sure to be overthrown.—Gospel Workers, pp. 322, 323.

Zechariah helps us to understand what to do when Satan tries to get us to replace God with one of these substitutes. After many years away from home, the Jews left Babylon and started to build the temple in their own land. But people tried to stop the Jews from building the temple details about this incident is found in Ezra 4–6.

So, Zechariah came with a message of encouragement to Zerubbabel, the leader of the work.

Zechariah’s entire message to Zerubbabel is found in Zechariah 4. (Split)

Zechariah 4:6  we find Zechariah offering Zerubbabel some encouraging words. What do you think Zechariah meant?

6 Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel saying, ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts. (Zechariah 4:6)

You might ask what does the Holy Spirit have to do with rebuilding the temple? Here we find that there is connection between the Holy Spirit and the everyday things we do in life.

Zerubbabel had gone to Jerusalem to build the house of the Lord. But he was [surpassed] with difficulties. His adversaries “weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building,” “and made them to cease by force and power.” But the Lord interposed in their behalf, and the house was finished. [Zechariah 4:6, 7, 10 quoted.] 

The very same difficulties which were created to hinder the restoration and upbuilding of the work of God, the great mountains of difficulty which loomed in Zerubbabel’s way, will be met by all who today are loyal to God and to His work. Many human inventions are used to carry out plans after the mind and will of men with whom God is not working. But it is not boastful words nor a multitude of ceremonies that show that the Lord is working with His people. The assumed power of the human agent does not decide this question. Those who place themselves in opposition to the Lord’s work may hinder for a time, but the same Spirit that has guided the Lord’s work all the way through will guide it today. “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” . . .

The Lord would have every soul strong in His strength. He would have us look to Him, receiving our directions from Him.—Ellen G. White Comments, in The SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 4, p. 1179. 

Notice that God does not stop the opposition that His people face as they rebuild the temple. Nor does God remove the stress from Zerubbabel. This lets us know that God will not always keep us from suffering stress or opposition. But when opposition and troubles come, God may use them as tests, as a crucible, to teach us to depend on Him.

Make God your entire dependence. When you do otherwise, then it is time for a halt to be called. Stop right where you are, and change the order of things. . . . In sincerity, in soul-hunger, cry after God. Wrestle with the heavenly agencies until you have the victory. Put your whole being into the Lord’s hands soul, body, and spirit, and resolve to be His loving, consecrated agency, moved by His will, controlled by His mind, infused by His Spirit . . . then you will see heavenly things clearly. (Split)

If we would permit our minds to dwell more upon Christ and the heavenly world, we should find a powerful stimulus and support in fighting the battles of the Lord. Pride and love of the world will lose their power as we contemplate the glories of that better land so soon to be our home. Beside the loveliness of Christ, all earthly attractions will seem of little worth.—Sons and Daughters of God, p. 105. 

When overwhelmed by life stresses, instead of substituting to thing to help you feel better, seek supernatural power. Look to God!