No Room To Turn
Have you ever been in a tight spot where there is no room to turn?
Well, hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, and welcome to “Joni and Friends” where we understand what it means to be in that tight spot, that narrow place, that difficult situation where there’s no room to turn. And you have been there, too. Like, even though you are the peacemaker in your family, conflicts just seem to get worse. Or, try as you may, your paycheck doesn’t seem to cover your rent, utilities and groceries. Another tight, narrow place? How about struggling with chronic pain? But all the side effects from more medication only makes it harder. So, what do you do when you are in that narrow place where there seems to be no options, no solutions, no way out?
Well, I’ve wondered that myself many times, what with balancing paralysis, breathing problems, pain issues, finding enough helpers, so much more. And believe me, when I get in those tight spots, I can literally feel panic rising, like, oh, my goodness, how’s this going to work? What if things don’t pan out? How will I manage without people to help me this weekend? What if this pain doesn’t go away by tomorrow? And if you’re resonating with any of this, then you need to listen to this telling passage from Numbers 22:26. To set the scene, Balaam – remember him? Balaam, he’s saddled his donkey and has gone off to curse God’s people. But as he heads down the road with a hedge on one side and a wall on the other, his path becomes more narrow and he finds himself in a tight spot. And what does Numbers chapter 22 say? It says this, “The angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left.”
Wow! Now, okay, laying aside for the moment Balaam’s evil scheme, this verse really speaks to us. And it should speak to you, really. Because God understands the tight, narrow places. He has, in fact, been in that tight spot Himself! And this should not only give you confidence, but hope. Because maybe today, you are in that narrow place. It’s hard. It’s a hard place that God literally has led you into; a difficult place in life, full of impossibilities, as though your path has narrowed to a wall on one side and a hedge closing in on another. And if you were honest, it feels panicky, doesn’t it? Because it’s a heartbreaking, challenging place with no room to turn, to the right or to the left. And you feel so alone. But. according to Numbers chapter 22, you are not alone. It’s not a place where there is only room for the painful problem. Because read that verse again. The angel of the Lord; that is, the very presence of God Himself stands in that narrow place. And as the saying goes, if God has brought you to it, He’s gonna bring you through it. How can that be? Because with God, all things are possible; even in – especially in – impossible situations. Believe me, I’ve experienced it time and again – God coming through; God redeeming; God answering; God leading me up and out of it all.
And if you’d like more encouragement with this, I want to give you a special gift today, a booklet called “Is God Listening?” It’s yours for the asking at joniradio.org. Because He is listening, and He will fill that tight, narrow place with His presence and His answer. Find out about that today at joniradio.org.
And one more thing – we at Joni and Friends would love to pray for you and your hardships. So, share with us your prayer need today at joniradio.org. Again, that’s joniradio.org.
© Joni and Friends
Do you have a question or comment?
Is God Listening?
When pain and hardship come, you look to the Lord for help and answers. But what do you do when it feels like God is silent? When your circumstances don’t change? In “Is God Listening?,” Dave Deuel encourages you that God is not indifferent to your pain. He always hears your cries for help and for answers. God speaks to you through His Word and reminds you that He walks beside you as a fellow sufferer.
