Do You Ever Feel Stuck?
I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. (NIV)
Isaiah 46:4
Recently, I found myself in a completely incomprehensible situation. It was so beyond anything I could imagine that my natural tendency to “rise to the occasion” just shut down. I felt shell-shocked, and I had no idea what to do.
Two of my longest and closest friends were experiencing life-altering events within days of each other. One friend’s daughter was getting married. The other friend’s son had just died unexpectedly on a normal day in a tragic car accident. The funeral for my friend’s son fell on the same day as the wedding for my other friend’s daughter.
I expected to go to both events, but after the funeral, I had second thoughts. How could I celebrate life with one dear friend just a short time after grieving the loss of life with another dear friend?
I sat in a chair at home staring blankly at nothing. My heart was broken for my friend who lost her son. Images from the funeral flooded my thoughts. Time marched on relentlessly and the wedding for my other friend’s daughter drew closer. Lost in the haze of drained emotions and vacant thoughts, I felt stuck.
“How do we honor God with our actions when we have no idea what He wants us to do?” I wondered.
Have you ever felt stumped? Maybe God is calling you to something that feels too hard, too scary, too uncharted, or too undefined for you to know how to handle.
We must remember that God never expected us to navigate our circumstances alone. He wants to carry us when we need help.
When I’m overwhelmed, I often come to God with a request for specific instructions. Which treatment option is the best? Which job should I choose? What advice should I give to my friend? How should I handle this situation with my child? In my quest for specifics, I feel a sense of urgency. I’m prepared to do God’s will, but I need His response before time forces me into a decision. Do you ever feel that way, too?
It’s possible that God doesn’t always respond in a timely fashion because He wants to teach us that He is the answer.
Marching to our own timetable may be practical, but it only partly exercises our faith. God wants us to fully trust Him, and He isn’t limited to the world’s restraints.
Isaiah 46:4 says, “I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”
My logical self is a tool that the enemy uses to keep me from fully trusting that God will provide what I need when I need it. I believe that He cares and that He has a plan, but I also know from experience that He doesn’t always respond according to my timetable. In addition, it’s hard for me to believe in an answer other than what I can see and understand. And if I’m being truthful, I definitely have trouble believing that a solution exists outside of the box of the world’s restraints. In short, there is a lot of “I” in those sentences and not enough blind faith.
When a small child reaches the end of their own strength, physically or emotionally, they lift their hands and tilt their head to see yours with urgency signaling that they need your help. They have given up on their own abilities and fully expect that you will satisfy their needs.
Likewise, we experience God the clearest when we are the emptiest. It’s when we’ve come to the end of our abilities to cope and we pray with childlike faith for His help, that we feel His strength carrying us through.
As I sat in my chair feeling forlorn and broken, I had reached the end of my own strength. I had no preconceived ideas. I wasn’t weighing options and playing out scenarios in my mind.
I was a question mark with a broken heart asking how to be a good friend.
In my empty and vulnerable state, God spoke. His Spirit flooded my soul, strengthened me, and gave me peace. He impressed upon me that I could weep with one friend, but I could also rejoice with my other friend.
Almost without thinking, I changed into my pretty dress, strapped on some sparkly sandals, and slipped into the back of the church. It wasn’t by my own strength, but by His.
I’m convinced that one reason we don’t experience more of God’s perfect answers is because we are uncomfortable emptying ourselves. It’s much easier to hold on to at least some control in this rollercoaster of life.
There are two things we can do to help us escape our natural desire for control and learn to trust God so we can experience more of His presence. These two things are practice and prayer.
Practice emptying yourself. Commit each morning to surrender your day to His will, and trust that He will provide all you need. It’s easier to start doing this on a normal day without a pressing decision or difficult responsibility penciled onto your calendar.
Pray, that you would trust His will over your own.
I don’t know what burdens you carry or what circumstances you’re facing, but I know that God didn’t design you to carry their weight alone. The more we practice trusting Him, the more we experience His promise.
Dear Heavenly Father, I confess, despite my head knowledge, that I struggle to fully trust you. Help me let go of any preconceived ideas and fully surrender to your will. I know you love me, and I believe you want the best for me. I need your help right now. Please carry me. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.