This study is based on Isaiah 30
We see in the passage of Isaiah 30:15-17 that Judah was brought quite low for their self-reliance and looking to Egypt to deliver them instead of God.
God said to them, “Woe to the rebellious children… Who take counsel, but not of Me, and who devise plans, but not of My Spirit, that they may add sin to sin” (v1)
How much counsel do we take about the ‘symptoms’ we have- from Doctors, psychologists, Google, family, friends etc. But how much of that counsel is from God Himself? Judah had devised plans to get them the help they needed, but not one of those plans consulted God or had His direction. As a result, God said they were adding sin to sin.
We will never lead perfect sinless lives, we make mistakes and we sin every day. But, when we trust in something or someone else other than God to pull us out of the hypochondria or anxiety, it is sin too. In this way we are adding sin to sin!
Think about what your plans are to overcome this. Has the Lord directed your plans, or are they your own decisions? Where are you taking counsel other than from God Himself?
“…have not asked My advice, to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt! Therefore the strength of Pharaoh shall be your shame, and trust in the shadow of Egypt shall be your humiliation.” (v2-3)
As you can see, all worldly resources for help are nothing but a shadow to God. Google has no substance – all it does is create further fear in you. It is nothing but a shadow. God sits from His throne waiting for you to call on Him, while Google and everything else sits under His foot!
Jumping to verse 6, we read about the ‘burden against the beasts of the South’.
Here, Isaiah was explaining that it was going to be such a burden and waste of time for the animals that were going to carry the riches of Judah to Egypt through the wilderness. Why? It was only a silly attempt to buy Egypt’s protection! Meanwhile, Egypt would have sat and done nothing to help them anyway, which is why God called them “Rahab-Hem-Shebeth” (meaning Rahab {pride} sits idle).
Basically it was wasted money because Egypt wouldn’t help so they had no purpose.
When I had gone back to my Doctor the 100th time about the pain in my body asking him again “Are you sure it’s not cancer??” he sighed and silently handed me a card for a Psychologist. I was horrified at the time, but I can laugh about it now. I was wasting money going to him over and over. There was nothing wrong with me, so he could do nothing else! Doctors remain idle because there is nothing to treat or further to tell you. They cannot help something that is not there. Google does nothing either! All it does it rattle out millions of symptoms where chances are you’re going to find one that is worrying you. And being the World Wide Web, your chances are pretty good.
It’s a complete burden – we end up being nothing but poor old donkeys trekking through the Wilderness with wasted money and time on our backs. Judah gained nothing from this and neither do we.
The more you trust in your own horsepower, the more you burnout – which leads to more weakness, more anxiety, more fear and then defeat.
It gets scarier for Judah. God said, “Because you despise this word, and trust in oppression and perversity, and rely on them, therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a breach ready to fall, a bulge in a high wall, whose breaking comes suddenly, in an instant. And He shall break it like the breaking of the potter’s vessel, which is broken in pieces; He shall not spare. So there shall not be found among its fragments a shard to take fire from the hearth, or to take water from the cistern.” (v12-14)
Here God is telling them that because they trusted in something and someone else other than Him, everything they are trying to accomplish will break and fall – just like a collapsed wall and a shattered clay pot!
There’s a thought-provoker for ya! Everything you are trying to do to overcome this will be shattered in pieces and not work – when you trust in the world to help you. It did not matter how I reasoned with myself or who or what I consulted. Nothing worked until I gave up my futile attempts and finally asked God for the solution. Self-reliance is like building a sandcastle right where the waves crash.
God elaborates, “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” But you would not, and you said, “No, for we will flee on horses”— therefore you shall flee! And, “We will ride on swift horses”— therefore those who pursue you shall be swift! One thousand shall flee at the threat of one, at the threat of five you shall flee…” (v15-17)
Because Judah rejected God and His Word and wanted to trust in horses and others instead, they found themselves having to flee while their enemies would be very quick in pursuing them. But if they trusted in God alone, they would have been able to draw on His strength and not have to run anywhere. The thoughts will come swiftly to you and not cease. Finding reassurance from others and Google, instead of God to give you peace and strength, means you will constantly be fleeing- running with your thoughts from one place and resource to the next to find your answers. But they won’t come I’m afraid. Your answers and help lie purely with God. God never changes. If He wanted Judah to rely purely on Him, then He wants us to as well.
Notice God used the word ‘quiet’ (v15). By quiet, He meant not being anxious or taking things into their own hands because of the Assyrian threat. That’s the thing with hypochondria – as soon as we hear of someone else’s illness, or feel a psychosomatic symptom, we immediately let anxiety and fear rule us and we take things into our own hands by calling the Doctor, going to Google and allowing the thoughts to overtake and torment us. We don’t stay quiet. When I was healed, now and then for the next few weeks I would get a thought about my health that would randomly pop up into my head. But I was stubborn against it; I refused to allow it to take root in my mind because I knew God had already healed me and I trusted Him. Just because a thought comes back doesn’t mean you are not healed- just persevere and fight back. It will go, I promise.
“Blessed are all those who wait for Him” (v18). In today’s age of instant results we don’t realise that things are still done in God’s timing, not ours. Don’t get anxious if your healing from hypochondria is taking longer than you anticipated. Remember, unless God allows it, we don’t see what is taking place behind the spiritual scenes. Isaiah says (v18) when God seems to delay He has a loving purpose behind it, because He’s busy working all things for your good (Rom 8:28); you just have to be patient. If you don’t wait, you are going to resort to using the wrong means to obtain your answer.
And what is the answer with hypochondria? It’s always temporary reassurance. And then tomorrow you have to start from scratch again. And the stronghold continues like a stuck record.
(“Lord, thank You today is a little better than yesterday. I still have a few thoughts running through my mind but with Your help I will consult nothing but You. Thank You that even though I can’t see it, You are fighting for me.”)
But God promises that your suffering will stop ‘You shall weep no more’. “When He hears it (your cry), He will answer you” (v19). So keep praying, keep talking to Him. Make sure to pray first thing in the morning. Whenever I do, He guides my whole day through. It’s so easy to talk to God. Example, “Lord, I said I would trust you today. But I’ve just gotten a pain in my stomach and You know the first thing I want to wonder is cancer. But I know worry is not Your will for me. Help me believe with unwavering faith that I am healthy because You keep me. I ask You to take this pain away and flood me with Your peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil 4:7) so I have the strength to carry on the rest of the day without worry. Thank You in Jesus name”
To not pray or at least tell Him your fears and how you’re feeling is being complacent.
Complacency today is tomorrow’s captivity!
Lastly, look at verse 22:
“You will also defile the covering of your images of silver, and the ornament of your molded images of gold. You will throw them away as an unclean thing; You will say to them, “Get away!”
There was one thing hindering God’s promise being fulfilled for Israel. That was their idols. Anything you are putting in place of God for help and an answer is an idol. It’s unclean! Get rid of it! I know it’s scary to let go, but you have to. Ask God to fill you with a child-like faith and confidence to let go. Spurgeon once said ‘you must learn a better way’. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and Life.
In returning and rest you shall be saved (v15)- returning means drawing close to God. You’re not going to do this if you keep Him at arm’s length. He is SO exciting. Let go a little and watch how He moves for you.
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” ~ Psalm 20:7
“Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.” ~ Psalm 146:3
Make It Glad 