Between a Rock and a Hard Place

by Tim Howard

I was sitting on an airplane getting ready for a 5-hour trip. My seat is in the economy section and is located between two other passengers. As I’m sitting there I recall a song titled: ‘Stuck in the Middle with You”

If you’ve ever been confined to a very small place for a very long time you might be able to empathize – I was feeling a bit claustrophobic! When you’re confined, restricted, locked up or simply stuck between a rock and a hard place – freedom becomes a desired commodity.

It’s easy to get stuck in life and feel like there’s no way out and no where to go. Some people get stuck in an abusive relationship or a dead end job or stuck on themselves because of pride. But one thing is certain, freedom is preferable!

In John 8, Jesus made an incredibly profound statement.  He said, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.  And if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”  What was He talking about?  Here’s a couple of answers from the Bible.

Jesus came to free us from YESTERDAY’S PAIN. All of us have a history.

Our past is cluttered with baggage that isn’t pleasant to recall, remember or rehearse with others. Like mud that engulfs a vehicle and prohibits it from moving ahead, so our guilt, shame and condemnation can keep us from progress. You can also get stuck in your past sin and forfeit a bright tomorrow.

“The Lord says, ‘Forget about what has happened before.  Do not think about the past. Instead, look at the new thing I am going to do.’”  Isaiah 43:18-19 (NCV)

"… if you devote your heart to him and stretch out your hands to him, if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent then, free of fault, you will lift up your face; you will stand firm and without fear. You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by.  Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning. Job 11:13-17 (NIV)

Jesus came to free us from TODAY’S PRESSURES. Stress is all around us and there seems to be no escape! God, however, gives us these words.

“God never grows faint or weary…  He gives power to those who are tired and worn out.”  Isaiah 40:28-29 (NLT)

 Jesus:  “Are you tired?  Worn out?  Burned out on religion?  Come to Me for real rest… and you’ll recover your life... and you’ll learn to live… freely and lightly.”  Matthew 11:28-29 (MSG.)

Jesus came to free us from TOMORROW’S UNCERTAINTY.

“I know what I am planning for you,” says the Lord, “I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you.  I will give you hope and a good future.”  Jeremiah 29:11 (NCV)

We all have ‘In-between’ times! Those moments when we leave one place for another but because we are in process, we haven’t arrived at the destination. You might be ‘between’ appointments or between jobs or possibly you are between a rock and a hard place.

Here’s the truth about Jesus. He came to free you and me from yesterday’s pain, today’s pressures and tomorrow’s uncertainty. 

If a person wants to experience this freedom, all he or she needs to do is put their faith IN God; their focus ON God and start walking WITH God. He will help you when you’re stuck between a rock and a hard place.

I Quit

by Tim Howard

Back in the day, a man named David Allan Coe wrote a song which was made famous by a singer named Johnny Paycheck. The song was about the bitterness of a man who worked long and hard with no apparent rewards to show for it. The title was: "Take This Job and Shove It" He evidently reached a point where he couldn’t endure the pressure any longer and finally quit. That may only be a song but it speaks of a reality faced by many of us throughout the journey of life.

Paul the Apostle talks about the pressures he faced and what was true for him can be true for you. He said: “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed and broken. We are perplexed, but we don’t give up and quit. We are hunted down, but God never abandons us. We get knocked down, but we get up again and keep going.” (2 Corinthians 4: 8-9)

Paul reminds us that pressure comes from many sources. He said: “ We are pressed on every side…” You may face it in a marriage when your mate tries to remake you into what he or she wants you to be. It may come from a job that has downsized and now expects you to pick up the added workload without increasing your income. The sheer responsibilities of paying the bills, walking the dog, fixing the car, cleaning the yard and meeting the day to day necessities can weigh heavily on a person and bring them to the point of contemplating those two words: ‘ I QUIT’

The best news from Paul’s comments is that pressure doesn’t have to break us if we respond to it in God’s strength. It may bend us to the breaking point but it doesn’t have the power to crush us. When we fall under the weight, we can still get up and keep going if we put our trust in God and follow His instructions. Knowing that God is on your side is a key to the resilience and strength needed to face the everyday pressures. He is with you and will not abandon you. You don’t need to quit! You don’t need to give up! The Bible says that, it’s not just my opinion.

Don’t get me wrong! There are some things you should quit. You should quit complaining because it causes you to focus on the negative side of life. You ought to quit making excuses and start following the right path. We all should stop lying, cheating and defrauding our friends. The list goes on… Rodney Dangerfield said he contacted his father to tell him he had stopped smoking. His dad responded by saying: I knew you were a quitter! I laughed as I read that joke but there are some times when we all should be quitters. Wisdom will have to make the judgment call.

You can withstand the pressure that’s designed to hinder your progress. You may be pressed on every side like the Apostle Paul but God is with you. According to Romans 8:32; God can use anything, even pressure for the purpose of shaping and making you into a person of character. If you love God and have responded to His grace, you are a candidate for his transforming work. He says to you: Don’t be conformed to the world by yielding to various pressures. Allow Me to give you a new way of thinking so these pressures will produce something positive in you. If you do, even the greatest pressure can’t make you say: I QUIT!