When all else fails.

     "When all else fails." means that we've exercised every option available to us except God.  Ever notice that these type statements are usually addressing the negative?  You don't hear people say that by faith they believe that all things work together for good to those who love Jesus and are called according to his purpose.  What we more than likely find is people who live their lives with at least one foot in the disaster circle.  I've been that type as I am sure many others have as well.  You know that you are there when your prayers are to correct what you thought was right to what God thinks as right.  Coming to the end of ourselves is a great idea.  "I finally came to the end of myself AND it's not a failure!
     When all else fails try manipulation.  I've done this as well and can speak with a bit of authority on the subject.  However, that's still not God's answer to our failures.  We manipulate in so many different ways.  There is mental manipulation, physical manipulation, emotional manipulation, and intellectual manipulation to name a few.  None of them are from God.  How do we know this?  Because God doesn't manipulate us into believing.  However, when all else fails and we come to the end of ourselves, God is there to once again make a success out of our failure.  There are no coincidences in life.  There are only two forces in the world.  Those forces are God and Satan.  So, if I'm not serving God, who am I serving.  I never have liked that dilemma.  I don't want to think that I am a servant of the most low Satan.  No one who calls themselves Christian does want to be seen that way.  So, before all else fails turn it over to God.
     When all else fails, charge forward like a bull in a china shop.  That's not the answer either.  Men especially find this alternative attractive.  There is the "I took care of it." attitude that precludes failure.  Even a failure can lead to a future success.  Not to appear biased in my view I must say that there are a lot of women who live this kind of life as well as men.  Should you get a marriage and family of this type of nature, look out!  There is going to be trouble like never before seen.  The thriving off this type of behavior is under laid with fears of others finding out just how powerless and in trouble we are.  The deeper into the negative thinking; the harder to break away from this habit.  When you have two people or more reinforcing this lifestyle there is sabotage at work between each other.  Maintaining a sick world is easier than fixing as sick world.
     Don't wait for things to fail.  Ask for directions.  I've done that when I wasn't sure where to go somewhere.  My wife was shocked and couldn't believe that I had asked for help.  At first I felt that she was disappointed in me.  The "man" of the house not being able to do something?  I do this fairly often now.  When I do so, things seem to smooth out quite a bit.  When I "man up" and get on my knees and ask God, it's even more smooth.  So, when all else fails, quit your day job in the world.  It doesn't pay well and the benefits stink.  The Bible encourages us to be in the world but not of the world.  Know "whose" you are.  When you do this you won't be worried about the negative quite as much.  When God succeeds we succeed.