Being at your "wits' end"

Psalm 107:27-28 (NASB)

They reeled and staggered like a drunken man and were at their wits’ end. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble.  He saved them out of their distresses. 

Have you ever been “at your wits’ end”?  Sure you have.  Typically, raising children at one time or another causes parents to be at their wits’ end.  Dealing with difficult bosses causes enormous stress.  Certain relationships can lead to a point where you cannot take it anymore.  A nagging illness or something causing chronic pain that never disappears can lead you to your wits’ end.   An accumulation of “little things” in life can lead to arriving at your wits’ end.  I was just reading about a guy who was at his wits’ end over a neighbor’s barking dog!  Each individual reading this can quickly cite a circumstance or more where you were at your wits’ end.  Indeed, right now you may be at your wits’ end.  What recourses do you have? 

What do people do when they reach their wits’ end?  Well, they act like what the Bible describes as a drunken man.  What’s the imagery of a drunken man?  One who loses control of his physical and mental functions, acts irrational, and simply cannot make wise decisions.  The original Hebrew for “wits end” literally means to have all your wisdom swallowed up!  There is nothing else that you can wisely think of to deal with, handle, solve, or overcome whatever circumstances are causing you to reach this point.

So, there are basically two types of responses people make when they reach their wits’ end.  One response is governed by natural human reactions and tendencies that result in the drunken man imagery.  People have nervous breakdowns, resort to drugs and alcohol, suffer significant depression and perhaps do and say things that are very regrettable later.

The other response is governed by having the Lord in control of your life and who will help you manage and overcome your circumstances.  Like the psalmist writes, people cry out to the Lord in their trouble and He saves them out of their distresses.  The entire 107^th Psalm teaches that the Lord delivers people from despairing circumstances in their lives.  What a huge promise.  Yet why don’t people believe?  It takes unwavering faith to believe what the Bible says is true (Hebrews 11:1,6) and reasons why people don’t believe all have something to do with a lack of faith (Matthew 14:31, Matthew 17:20, Mark 6:6, Romans 10:17, II Corinthians 5:17).

What has caused you to be at your wits’ end in your past and what did you learn from the experience?  What worked and what didn’t work?  Was the Lord involved in helping you?  What might be causing you to be at your wits’ end right now?  If you are reading this then you still have some rationality remaining where you can take appropriate action and avoid what might cause regrets later.  The most rational thing you can read and meditate over Psalm 107 and allow the Spirit of the Lord to give you relief and peace.  He will also answer your prayers in giving you insights (faith) to what you can do (works) to alleviate your troubles.    

“When a man is at his wits' end it is not a cowardly thing to pray, it is the only way he can get in touch with Reality.”—Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest, August 28 reading.