The God of a Rock & a Hard Place
1 Samuel 14:4–6
“And between the passages… there was a sharp rock on the one side, and a sharp rock on the other side… And Jonathan said… It may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.”
When Pressure Closes In
We’ve all heard the phrase: “I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place.” That’s not just a cliché. It’s a real place. And for many, it's where life feels like it’s currently happening.
In 1 Samuel 14, Jonathan finds himself surrounded. Sharp cliffs on either side. Philistines in front. Just him and his armor bearer, outnumbered and under equipped. No sign from heaven. No prophetic word. Just pressure and uncertainty.
And yet, Jonathan speaks what might be one of the most underrated declarations of faith in Scripture:
“It may be that the Lord will work for us.”
He had no promise. Just confidence in the character of God.
What to Do When Heaven Is Silent
Let’s be honest. Life sometimes feels like a tight, suffocating space.
- You’re trying to move forward, but every step feels risky.
- You’re praying, but the silence is deafening.
- You show up to church, raise your hands, but inside, you’re exhausted.
- There’s pressure at home, pressure in your mind, pressure in your spirit.
And maybe the hardest part? You seemingly haven’t heard anything from God in a while. No angel. No vision. No new word. Just the tension of your difficult and overwhelming circumstances.
That’s where Jonathan was.
But here’s what makes his story different. He didn’t let silence stop him. He didn’t wait for perfect clarity to take action. He aligned his steps with the nature of God and moved forward in hopeful anticipation.
What It Really Means to “Wait on the Lord”
Let’s clear something up. Waiting on God doesn’t mean sitting still doing nothing.
Isaiah 40:31 says:
“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength…”
The Hebrew word used here, qavah, doesn’t mean passive delay. It means to look with hopeful anticipation.
Waiting on God is an active process.
- It’s praying before the answer comes.
- It’s worshipping when you don’t feel a thing.
- It’s obeying even when the outcome is unclear.
You don’t need a fresh prophetic word to forgive someone. You don’t need divine handwriting in the sky to serve, to give, to love, or to do what already aligns with God’s character.
If you know it’s right, do it. That’s faith. That’s what it means to wait with expectation.
Faith That Moves in Tight Places
Jonathan’s words in verse 6 are bold:
“There is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.”
That one sentence speaks volumes about God.
- He doesn’t need perfect odds.
- He doesn’t need your situation to make sense.
- He doesn’t need a crowd, a committee, or a five-point plan.
He just needs someone who is willing and trusts in Him. Jonathan had no army, no backup, and no guarantees. But he had a little bit of faith and a whole lot of trust in God.
And sometimes that’s all God is looking for. A mustard seed of faith in the middle of a mess.
Where God Does His Best Work
Look through Scripture and you’ll find this truth on repeat:
- Moses and the children of Israel at the Red Sea. Trapped on every side. God split the water.
- Daniel in the lion’s den. No escape. God shut the mouths.
- The Hebrew boys in the fire. God didn’t keep them from the flame. He stepped into it and sustained them.
- Jesus on the cross. When hope looked dead, resurrection came three days later.
God often does His greatest work in the tightest places.
Psalm 46:1 says,
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”
Not just a help. A very present help. So if you feel pressed on every side, you’re in a place God knows well. He’s not intimidated by pressure. He specializes in it.
Step Forward While You Wait
Maybe you’re in that place right now.
- You’re tired.
- You’re waiting.
- You’re surrounded by impossibilities.
Let me remind you.
- God is not far off.
- His silence does not mean absence.
- His delay does not mean denial.
What should you do?
- Step forward in faith.
- Do the last thing you know was right.
- Align your actions with the Word of God.
- Keep looking to Him with hopeful anticipation.
And say like Jonathan did:
“It may be that the Lord will work for us: for there is no restraint to the Lord to save by many or by few.”
Even if the breakthrough doesn’t come how you expect, He’s still worthy. Even if the answer delays, He’s still working.
God is not looking for perfection. He’s looking for willingness and trust. If you feel stuck between a rock and a hard place, you’re exactly where He can meet you. Keep trusting. Keep waiting with action. Keep believing.
The God of Jonathan is your God too. And He’s still the God of a rock and a hard place.