After experiencing difficulties with his computer, a poor, incognizant user called the system maker's technical support line for assistance:

Technician: Hello. How can I help you today?

Customer: There's smoke coming from the power supply on my computer...

Tech: Looks like you need a new power supply...

Cust: No, I don't! I just need to change the startup files...

Tech: Sir, what you described is a faulty power supply. You need to replace it....

Cust: No way! Someone told me that I just had to change the system startup files to fix the problem! All I need is for you to tell me the right command...

For the next ten minutes, in spite of the technician's efforts to explain the problem and its solution, the customer adamantly insisted he was right. So, in frustration, the technician responded...

Tech: I'm sorry. We don't normally tell our customers this, but there's an undocumented DOS command that will fix the problem...

Cust: I knew it!

Tech: Just add the line "LOAD NOSMOKE.COM at the end of the CONFIG.SYS file and everything should work fine. Let me know how it goes...

About ten minutes later, the technician received a call back from the customer...

Cust: It didn't work. The power supply is still smoking...

Tech: Well, what version of DOS are you using?

Cust: MS-DOS 6.22...

Tech: Well, that's your problem. That version of DOS doesn't include NOSMOKE. You'll need to contact Microsoft and ask them for a patch. Let me know how it all works out...

When nearly an hour had passed, the phone rang again...

Cust: I need a new power supply...

Tech: How did you come to that conclusion?

Cust: Well, I called Microsoft and told the technician what you had said, and he started asking me questions about the make of the power supply...

Tech: What did he tell you?

Cust: He said my power supply isn't compatible with NOSMOKE...

As humorous as that story may be, the same thing can happen on a spiritual level, and it's not humorous at all. Someone's life "goes up in smoke." Their reaction is to try to find a "patch" to get them through, when what they really need is a new "power supply". Unless we access the power found only in God, we are doomed to a life of frustration. And it is only when we realize the "incompatibility" between our attempts to patch things up and God's power that we are able to finally bring ourselves back to God in submission.

"Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the
Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not
cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you
in my prayers.... that you may know.... what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who
believe, according to the working of His mighty
power which He worked in Christ when He raised
Him from the dead and seated Him at His right
hand in the heavenly places."
(Eph. 1:15-20)

Seen any smoke in your life lately?
Have you tried replacing the power supply?