How to turn crisis into opportunity
2 Kings (44) How to turn crisis into opportunity
(2 Kings 19:1-13)
1. Repent deeply
When King Hezekiah heard the threats and ridicule from Rabshakeh, the servant of the king of Assyria, he tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and entered the house of the Lord (verse 1). The Israelites tore their clothes to show sorrow and mourning, and to wear sackcloth when they repented of their sins. Of course, that doesn't make you innocent. The important thing is to tear your heart, so the prophet Joel told us not to tear our clothes, but our hearts (Joel 2:13). After all, to have torn clothes and put on sackcloth means repentance.
In mourning and repentance, Hezekiah tore his clothes and put on sackcloth, but also made Eliakim, the ruler of the palace, Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, put on sackcloth (verse 2). When the country is in crisis, the king and all the senior officials have a repentant heart. Blessings are often the starting point of putting yourself down thoroughly. So repentance is important. In times of crisis, you can turn a crisis into an opportunity when you have a repentant heart by looking at the log in your own eye before the speck in someone else's eye.
2. Find the temple
King Hezekiah tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and entered the temple (verse 1). Why did you go to the temple? It is to pray. When faced with a desperate crisis, human efforts and methods are of little use. At that time, we must completely depend on God who decides all our destiny. In a sense, humanly, it is better when the way cannot be seen. If there are many human ways, the answer to prayer may be delayed. On the other hand, if you don't see a way at all, God's love and grace become more urgent and you become more fully dependent on God.
When Hezekiah was surrounded and the nation was in crisis, he realized that there was no other way but God, and went to the temple and prayed earnestly. The temple is the house of prayer for Manmin. You can pray anywhere, but if you come to the temple and pray especially when you have a problem, you can focus more on prayer. That is why prayer in the temple is especially good. In such a crisis of life, if you visit the temple, focus on prayer and pray earnestly, you can turn a crisis into an opportunity.
3. Find a Mentor
As King Hezekiah entered the temple, he sent Eliakim, who was in charge of the palace, Shebna the scribe, and the elders of the priests, wrapped in sackcloth, to Isaiah (verse 2). Why? For two big reasons. First, it must have been to inquire of God's will. In times of crisis, we must have the blessed attitude of faith that can listen to the word of a spiritual leader. An attitude that shows the spirituality of obedience with an open ear to the Word is a very important factor that turns a crisis into an opportunity.
4. Don't be afraid
Isaiah told King Hezekiah not to be afraid and prophesied that Sennacherib would return to his country and die with the sword (verses 6-7). However, Sennacherib again sent messengers to Hezekiah, saying that it would be futile to believe in the Lord, citing the history of the previous kings of Assyria conquering neighboring countries, instilling fear and telling Hezekiah to surrender (verses 11-13). Even now, Satan tries to shake the faith of the saints by instilling fear with problems and tests. Then don't be afraid of those questions and tests.
In life, if you take one step, you may be two steps behind. Life is like a roller coaster that goes up and down. So don't be too fond of things when things go well. It doesn't just continue, and sooner or later problems can arise. On the other hand, don't get too discouraged when things don't work out. The situation will not continue, and sooner or later a history of reversal will appear. The main thing is not to be shaken and not to be afraid in any situation.
If you are faithful in Jesus and do your best, a life without ups and downs will unfold, and you will never have good fortune once, bad luck twice, move one step forward and be two steps behind. Then there will be setbacks, but no discouragement, and even if the plans are thwarted, you will still be overflowing with gratitude. After such a time of testing, you will finally stand on the top, and you will be able to stand tall on a high place where even if people criticize you, they will not reach you.