No Time to Think or Pray

 

Women tell me stuff. I can’t explain why. My friends do it, my family does it, and complete strangers, waitresses and store clerks do it.

What they’ve told me over the years is that they have really awful problems and sometimes need words fast or need to think and act fast. Often what I hear about is their regret at not having responded well to a situation. They’re wondering what they should have done because there was no time to think or pray at the time. Many are Christians who know that I have spent several years teaching the Bible so they want to know what their biblical response should have been.

Do you know what I want to say? I want to say, “Look it up! Dig into God’s word for yourself.” To be fair, some of them have and those are seeking the counsel of a believer to confirm what they have found, but way too many want to somehow put the responsibility for their knowledge of God on someone else. “My church didn’t teach me.” “My parents didn’t teach me.” They wonder why they can’t respond to life in a way that pleases God even though they’ve had a conversion experience.

These are children of God but they don’t know what He expects of them when the going gets rough. After the trouble they ask what God’s Word says. If ever there’s a time to already know the Bible it’s when trouble comes. If His word is rooted and grounded in a person when trouble comes the Holy Spirit will bring that word to mind in a heartbeat – no extended time to seek advice or pray will be needed. He’ll remind them of God’s Word on whatever the issue is. .

I am not saying that the one who has studied God’s word will always be protected from harm. Nor do I think that they’ll do the right thing in every situation but when temptations arise, when trouble comes, when our Christianity, our virginity, or our integrity are at risk, we’ll have a well of wisdom to draw from.

Keep asking for wise counsel from mature believers, that’s a biblical practice. But also keep digging into God’s Word and get into a Bible Study so that when you most need it the Counsel of the Almighty will be in you and His Holy Spirit will have something useful to bring to your mind.

Often times I leave these conversations realizing what a protected life I’ve been given. I have difficulty relating to the experiences of some people because they are so awful from a human perspective — physical abuse, sexual abuse, divorce, financial crisis, things that I have not experienced. And I wonder, “Am I (or anyone else, really) the one to go to?”

So there you have it. That is what I’d like to say, even if I don’t. In truth, I’m happy to try to help a brother or sister in crisis but it is Jesus who is to be our ever-present help in times of trouble.

 

Psalm 119:9 – 15:

How can a young man keep his way pure?
By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you;
let me not wander from your commandments! I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. Blessed are you, O LORD;
teach me your statutes! With my lips I declare all the rules of your mouth. In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.

Before you or I face these situations that allow us no time to pray or think about our responses, we need to turn to the One who has complete understanding of the situation we’re in. Hebrews 2:18 speaking of Jesus says, “For because He himself has suffered when tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted.” When we know Jesus well from studying His Word, we won’t have to think, “What would Jesus do?” He’ll remind us.