Someone once said, “Our wit’s end is the beginning of God’s wisdom.”

Through King Solomon, in the book of Proverbs, God instructs us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Why do some of us have to reach our wit’s end before we turn to God for guidance and wisdom when His wisdom is always available? Why must we go our own treacherous, winding path, filled with pitfalls, landmines, thorns and thistles, until we are ready to turn to God and let Him “make our path straight?” Turning to God should not be our last resort but our first.

How strong would your interpersonal relationships be if your spouse, friend or family member only reached out to you, spent time with you or talked to you when they were in a crisis or needed something? Would you feel close to them, and loved, or used by them?

Would that be considered a mutual, “give and take” kind of relationship or rather a take and take and take relationship on their part?

The Lord Jesus wants an ongoing, close relationship with His own. He wants a daily, moment-by-moment, walking with us wherever we go and whatever we are going through kind of relationship.

Jesus wants to be so close to us that we talk to Him any moment, of any day, as though He were right there with us all the time because He is. Jesus doesn’t want us to spend time with Him in the mornings and then leave Him at the house.

According to scripture, it doesn’t work that way. He is always with us. Unfortunately some believers do not realize that. Some try to compartmentalize their lives into sacred and secular.

They think God is only interested in “religious” matters but leaves all the other decisions of life up to them. God-forbid!

If that were the case, I would make an absolute mess of my life. Of that much I am certain.

Jesus said, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

All Christians want the peace, joy and manifold blessings of the Lord, but many do nothing to establish or maintain an ongoing relationship with Him. Some give Him a cursory glance each morning or maybe once a week but seldom talk to Him unless they find themselves in a hard place with no other recourse.

Sadly, many find themselves in that kind of relationship with God for various reasons – lack of understanding about who God is and what He wants from His children, guilt, sin or any myriad of reasons. But the truth is, God wants His children to love Him with all their heart, soul, mind and strength first and foremost (Luke 10:27).

He wants to be the first and last Person we talk to each day. He wants us to turn to Him throughout the day when we have concerns or simply out of thanksgiving for Who He is and what He has done in our lives.

When an expert in the law questioned Jesus as to the greatest commandment, “He replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’ and ‘Love your neighbor as yourself” (Luke 10:27).

When we obey that commandment, we will put God first. We will seek to spend time with Him daily, and in so doing, we will experience the Lord’s love, joy, and manifold blessings, no matter the circumstances of life. And we will experience “the peace that surpasses all understanding.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Friend, I pray that if you are at your wit’s end today, you realize … there is no greater place to be!

Lisa Hannan lives in Valdosta with her husband, attorney Miles Hannan, who has been practicing law in Valdosta for more than 30 years. She has a B.S. in psychology from Valdosta State University. You can find her at www.lisahannan.org.