Help Me Lord…I’m Stuck… Hello Hump Day readers. One of my favorite pastors (and his whole family) is Dr. Tony Evans. He always uplifts Al and I with his teaching, wonderful singing, and yes—is joyfulness. One story he shared was when he got stuck on an elevator in a high-rise building! Here’s the story:

The car was between floors when the system locked up and the people who were in the elevator with him began to panic; they banged on the door and yelled in hopes that someone would hear them. So, Dr. Evans quietly stepped to the front of the car, opened a little door, and pulled out a telephone. He was immediately connected with someone on the outside who could help them. He didn’t need to beat on the wall to get their attention nor did he need to shout loudly on the phone to receive their help. In fact, he could have whispered, and they would have heard him.

His time in the elevator was like my “stuck day. When I was 8 years old I went with my parents to the hospital to see my twin sister who had her tonsils out. It was kind of boring so I decided to go down in the elevator, but alas it stopped in-between floors. It was stuck—no phone, no lights—everything was black. I waited over 6 hours until they finally fixed it. By that time, I was a mess because I have claustrophobia. I cried—even wet my pants—I was so fearful and stuck in the dark.

When I listened to Tony’s story it helped me to not be fearful and even though I still have claustrophobia, I’m a lot better! Dr. Evans made the point that there are times we’re going to get “stuck” in places where we aren’t comfortable-some people begin to beat against the walls, others cry out in dismay (that was me for sure!). But the person who trusts in the power of confident prayer knows there’s someone on the other end who hears their call and comes to their aid.

In Psalm 34:17-19, King David comforted the people in trying times saying: “Is anyone crying for help? God is listening, ready to rescue you. If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.” [The Message]

In Deuteronomy 31:6, Moses told the people: “Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.”  [The Message]

Are you stuck today? Ask God to calm you and give you the rest and courage you need. Do you have someone you know that is stuck in a place and they’re fearful?  Call them, share a prayer with them and remind them that God knows what is happening and God will take care of them.

God knows your worries and your cares, and God longs to set you free! But so many people don’t take the freedom God wants to give them. Instead, they continue being fearful and stuck in the muck of hard-times. If you are in that position, please tell God exactly what’s on your heart. Pray boldly and ask God to raise you up and out of what you are stuck in.

God’s perfect time will be there for you and that’s God’s promise and God’s perfect timing! AMEN.