03142020 In Over Your Head

Dear Missionary Lady,

Greetings in the name of the "unsinkable" God. If you think that's an odd description, think about all the times you are overwhelmed, in over your head, and feel like you're drowning. That doesn't even remotely happen to God - ever.

When those times come, there can be so many things going on that your head is spinning, and you can't even think straight anymore. You may be confused, not understanding where your thoughts and emotions are coming from. Sometimes you are so swamped that you don't even know what to pray for or what to say to God.

The Bible uses exactly those kinds of terms. "Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow me. Deliver me out of the mire, and let me not sink: let me be delivered from them that hate me, and out of the deep waters. Let not the waterflood overflow me, neither let the deep swallow me up, and let not the pit shut her mouth upon me" (Psalm 69:1-2,14-15). "Then the waters had overwhelmed us, the stream had gone over our soul: then the proud waters had gone over our soul" (Psalm 124:4-5).

In the midst of those overwhelming and puzzling situations, in which you don't understand yourself and don't know what to say, at least you know that God is the one you have to run to. You have the right source, and you know you can depend on Him. "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee" (Psalm 73:25). "If it had not been the LORD who was on our side ... Our help is in the name of the LORD" (Psalm 124:1,8). "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life" (John 6:68). To whom else, indeed? He is the only one who can help.

Not only do you know where you need to run, you also clearly know that you need His help. Without His help, you would be truly sunk. "And hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily" (Psalm 69:17). The prayer does not have to be elaborate or elegant, not calm and refined, not poetic or perfectly stated. You just need to express your need for help, and sometimes that comes out in anguished, desperate cries.

When the problem is too big, the pressure too intense, the confusion too unsettling, the timing too imminent, or you are simply too weak and overwhelmed, sometimes  all you can say is "God, help." And that's okay. You won't be the first one to pray such a prayer. When Peter stepped out of the boat to walk to Jesus on the stormy sea, he quickly found himself in over his head. "But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me" (Matthew 14:30). Just that - "Lord, save me."

Amazingly, when you can't even muster that, and when you have no words at all, God still hears you. "Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee" (Psalm 79:11). "Lord, all my desire is before thee; and my groaning is not hid from thee" (Psalm 38:9). He hears even our sighing and moaning.

Sometimes there just are no words, but here is amazing truth. "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God" (Romans 8:26-27).

I don't see any other way to understand the verse except that even the Spirit groans on our behalf. Maybe that is heavenly speech or words beyond human comprehension. The wonder is that He offers prayer on our behalf when we are unable to get out words on our own, and His prayers are according to the will of God. He prays the right thing for us. And He searches our hearts and knows what would come out of them if we could put it into words. So when you don't know what to pray, you can trust the Spirit to pray for you.

When you are in over your head, God can take care of you. It is no trouble for Him to snatch you right out of that situation, or to lead you gradually onto firmer ground. "He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters" (Psalm 18:16). "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings" (Psalm 40:2).

I have found that God responds to our primal, minimal cries with grace. Often just enough grace to stabilize us enough so that we can pray a little more. And then dependent step by dependent step, He graciously brings us out. No matter how desperate the situation seems, God can deliver and can give strength and grace that we need.

Love in Christ,
Peggy Holt
member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA
www.pressingontohigherground.blogspot.com