The First Be

For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  Romans 10:13

My heart hurts often when I realize how many people struggle with worry, stress and anxiety.  I see it sapping peoples energy, their joy and their hope. In an attempt to figure out how I can help and not make things worse, I have been doing some studying.  I think unknowingly, we sometimes say things that aren’t at all helpful.  If someone is truly trapped in a struggle phrases like, “Just snap out of it.” or “You’re making a really big deal out of this don’t ya think?” are among some of the most unhelpful.  If they could just snap out of it, they most certainly would.  
In my search for helpful answers I’ve read lots and lots of stuff and I’ve decided to boil it down into 3 things I hope might help.  I’ve lumped lots of prayer and reading into the 3 Be’s and I’ve decided to turn the 3 Be’s into a 3 part series!  If you struggle with worry I hope you can find some simple truth and hope.  If you love someone who struggles with worry, I hope you can find some things to encourage them and bring some hope and peace to their heart.

Let’s start with the first Be…Be Loud!  Let me take you back to childhood and explain.  When I was a kid, we had a great apple tree in our back yard.  It was the perfect climbing tree and my brothers were up in that tree nearly every spring and summer day.  I would watch from the ground only wishing I could climb with them.  I was grounded for a couple of reasons.  First, I was terrified of leaving the ground (pretty big deterrent to tree climbing). Second, I was frightened because I wore leg braces for the first 12 years of my life and I had a completely lousy sense of balance, so tree climbing was not a great idea. 

I honestly don’t know what came over me one day but I decided to give tree climbing a try despite my fear.  I remember getting a 5 gallon bucket to give myself a boost to help me reach the first branch.  I got up to about the third branch and then a limb got wedged between the cable on my leg brace and my leg.  I was stuck and as I tried to get free my other foot slipped off the branch and I was left hanging there sideways with my feet touching no part of the tree.  I screamed as loud as I could for my dad and in pretty quick fashion I could hear his calm voice.  I yelled for him to help me and get me down but he did something I didn’t expect.  He told me that he was going to help, but that I was the one who got into the pickle and I was going to have to get out.  For what seemed like forever he stood under that tree giving me directions about where to put my hands and feet.  He walked me through getting the branch unstuck from the the cable on my braces and he coached me down onto the bucket and to the ground.  I remember asking him why he didn’t just climb up the tree and rescue me and he told me it was better to learn how to get myself out of a pickle with a little support and guidance so I would know what to do if it ever happened again.

There are so many lessons from that day.  Each of us has a Father who will race to our aid if we call on his name.  Whether it’s a father racing to an apple tree, or to the bedroom to scare monsters out of the closet or a Father who races to the heart of a weary child to restore peace and hope they are just a shout away.  All we have to do is cry out loudly for the help of our Father and help will come.  We sometimes think he forgets to show up when we call his name and things don’t get better immediately.  I think sometimes Father God helps a little like my dad did the day I got stuck in the tree. He didn’t rescue me straight down from the tree but he guided and taught and walked me through; I had to cooperate and listen.  If I hadn’t,  I might still be stuck in that tree or the same thing might have happened the next time I climbed a tree if he hadn’t helped me learn.  

If we’re struggling and we cry out loudly, God will put someone in our path to help us.  I’ve learned that I don’t always know what to do or say when someone is struggling but if I cry out too, the Holy Spirit sends the words and thoughts I need to walk with a struggling friend.  There are lessons in every struggle and the learning comes at the hands of a Father who loves us and wants what’s good for us.  My dad taught me decades ago that getting to the other side of a tough situation doesn’t always happen the way you think it might.  God is the same kind of teacher and guide, he’s going to give us what we need, not necessarily what we want but we must never doubt his mighty love.

The next time you’re struggling or overcome with worry, Be Loud and call out to the Lord to  meet you in the middle of your mess…he’ll come a runnin…I promise!  Stay tuned Monday for the second Be.

A Seed To Plant:  Start a note where you can write the 3 Be’s in case you or someone you love needs them.  Look for opportunities this week to Be Loud and invite the Lord into your worry and troubles.​

Blessings on your day!