Ask God to help you with your problems, big or small

One night, not long ago, I was tossing and turning, trying to get to sleep.

I was facing a situation the next day that if not handled well could end up in a mess.

Angry, frustrated thoughts whirled through my brain.

Why couldn’t someone else handle these things? Wasn’t it about time for someone else to step up to the plate? Why was it always me?

In the course of world events, it was a very small thing.

But it was bugging me.

So I started talking to God.

Now, I’ve heard that you should just tell God what’s on your mind. And be honest. He knows what you’re thinking anyway.

So I did.

Yet as I filed one complaint after another, I started thinking about what Jesus went through before he died on the cross.

The horrible, bloody beating.

The mockery.

The crown of thorns that soldiers jammed on his head.

Suddenly, my problem seemed so pathetically minuscule.

Who was I to complain about anything?

I remembered a Scripture in the Bible. It’s found in the book of Luke, chapter 9, verse 23.

In this situation, Christ is talking to his disciples �” but the message is for us today, too.

Jesus said: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

That word, “daily,” always gets to me.

And carry a cross?

As the old saying goes, “We all have our crosses to bear” �” those situations we’d rather not deal with, but instead must handle the way we know God would want us to.

I apologized to God for my bad attitude. I told God that I didn’t wanted to displease him. I wanted to obey him.

I was just tired and needed a break.

Then, a spirit-inspired thought came to me:

Even Jesus had help carrying his cross.

Do you remember this part of the story? It’s found in Luke, chapter 23, verse 26. It tells about Jesus being taken to his death.

It reads: “As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.”

The book of John tells about Jesus carrying his own cross, but at that point he was obviously in such bad shape that he couldn’t do it anymore.

I wasn’t anywhere near that condition, but I learned long ago that the God who has numbered the hairs on our heads is concerned about our problems �” big and small.

So I told God that I’d carry my cross �” I just needed a little help.

That help came the next day while I was talking to a friend, who made an amazingly simple suggestion �” which I followed. The situation worked out and seems to be continuing to do so.

After that, I started looking up verses about help in the Bible.

There are several such as:

“We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and shield,” Psalm 33:20.

And: “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble,” Psalm 45:1.

And: “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped,” Psalm 28:7

Did you notice how many times the words “strength” and “shield” are used with the word, “help"?

God helps, protects and strengthens us in many ways �” and in many different types of situations.

The key, I believe, is asking him for help.

I didn’t start seeing some relief from my internal struggle until after I sought help.

Granted, I think it can take some time for help to arrive. But just because we don’t see anything happening right away, doesn’t mean God isn’t working behind the scenes, straightening out tangled, troubled situations and softening hearts - including ours - if we let him.

I noticed that I slept a whole lot better the night after I prayed that troubled prayer and then experienced God’s help.

And I probably would have gotten even more sleep, if I hadn’t stayed up late starting this column.