Goodness! I was so stuck! I mean, really stuck!
Honestly sometimes the best thing to do is to shout for help.
I was only a child at the time, maybe seven or eight when I made the decision to walk through thick mud. I cannot remember why. Maybe I was trying to find my dad. I don’t know, but I do remember the feelings of being utterly and completely stuck. I couldn’t go forward and. Couldn’t go back! The mud came right up to the top of my wellies and it well and truly had hold of me! It was scary!
Looking back, I could have abandoned my wellies I suppose, but for some reason I never thought about doing that. Instead, I just stood there and shouted at the top of my voice, “DAD!”
It was such a relief to see him walking towards me, grinning. “Are you stuck?” he asked, with a twinkle in his eyes. Before I could reply He lifted me out of my boots, up into the air and carried me to solid ground. Having gently placed me on down, he went back for my wellies and brought them for me to put back on. My dad! I loved him so much. He died nearly thirty years ago, but I still love him to this day. He was strong, kind and utterly reliable.
Sometimes life is tough. Metaphorically we can so often find ourselves stuck. For example, stuck in the past, stuck in anger, fear and unforgiveness. Stuck in sin and unhealthy habits. Stuck in the same old routine. Stuck in indecision etc, etc.
But the good news is, if we shout for Him, the Father who loves us beyond measure, will always hear our prayer. Hold on. He’s coming. And once again He will place you on solid ground.
Prayer – Heavenly Father, We come before You with humble hearts, acknowledging that there are times when we become stuck. Some of us are stuck in fear, afraid to take the next step. Some are stuck in disappointment, carrying wounds that have never fully healed. Some are stuck in guilt, shame, bitterness, or regret. Some of us have settled into comfort and routine, forgetting that You are always calling us to grow.
Please Lord, hear us when we cry out to you. Lift us by Your grace and then carry us free from all that would stop us moving forward. And having been set free, give us the courage to take the next steps of faith. Help us to trust you not to drop us. Thank you for loving us beyond measure.
In Jesus’s name. Amen.