Between a Rock and a Hard Place

How should a Christian respond when they are in a 'helpless' situation?  If a soccer team was loosing the game while the other team cheating and the referees do not seem to care, how should a Christian act? If you are supposed to have more experience before you get a job, but you can't have more experience without doing the job, how can a Christian respond?

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We do not know much about Abigail's life before she encountered David, but chances are it was pretty hard.  Her husband was both "a fool" and one of the most powerful people in the area. He was selfish and self-absorbed. Most people in her position would feel very trapped; the consequences of having Nabal for a husband might be as awful as the consequences of having no husband at all. Without someone to provide for her, she would not have basic necessities.  Having a provider like Nabal was a daily challenge. How did Abigail handle her strenuous home life?

We may not know what her life was like, but we do know how she responded in a crisis - with humility and wisdom.  David was ready to destroy Abigail and her household for her husband  being cruel - it was an extreme response, but it's never a good idea to upset warriors.  Abigail's response sounded something like these Psalms:

Psalm 40:11
Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;
    may your love and faithfulness always protect me.

Psalm 30:11

You turned my wailing into dancing;
    you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

Abigail did not act out of anger or with intent to harm anyone, but humbly pleaded for David to spare her husband and household.  Anything else might have been disastrous.

We do not always have the ability to control our situations, but we can always control our responses. Sometimes fairness and justice seem to be lost in the process, but like the Psalmist we should be looking to our higher source for our vindication, not to the popularity found in the people around us.

Maybe being between a rock and a hard place is not so bad if you remember that the Lord is your Rock!  May God reassure you with his peace when it is lacking in your life.