What's a desperate, hurting soul to do when life is completely out of control? Cling to Jesus, suggests inspirational speaker Micah Maddox, and wife of Rob Maddox, the worship and missions pastor at Spotswood Baptist Church in Fredericksburg, Va.
"If you know Him, He's already with you. Right there, in the midst of the uncontrollable, He knows every single detail of your struggle. He is an anchor that does not budge. When everything else changes, Jesus is a constant," Micah penned in a recent For Every Mom blog.
She points out there are life moments so devastating, there are no words to utter. "You see people surround you and their lips are moving, but the words cannot be absorbed. You try to move forward with a normal routine, but the world seems to move in slow motion as you walk in a trance giving your best effort to press on."
Life can hurt deeply, Micah reminds. "It can scar the tender parts of your heart, and make you feel like life is completely out of your control."
The truth is, life is not ours to control, she states. "Life is manageable when bills are paid, kids are healthy, marriage is working, church is delightful, and work is enjoyable. When test results reveal serious illness or when your marriage is sitting on the edge of disaster, life is no longer controllable. Unexpected bills, heartbreaking conversations and a life of heavy burdens unload themselves into your world that seems to be shattering right before your eyes."
People all around are holding shattered pieces of life, wanting desperately to put the pieces together again, states the woman who has been supporting full-time ministry for the past 10 years. "It's as if the anchor of your soul has been ripped from the deepest depth of your heart and your ship of life has been lost at sea."
Micah recommends calling out to Jesus. "Jesus is not a person I call on when life is beyond my understanding, Jesus is a constant friend who never leaves, never hurts and never makes mistakes. We can tell Him anything and everything and He cares. He sees. He knows. He loves unconditionally."
Unchanging grace and mercy draw her close, she says.
"When I sit in His presence and allow His Spirit to fill in the holes of my heart, I feel complete no matter what reality says to me. I may be hurting, lonely or afraid, but God heals, comforts and gives me confidence that I cannot explain."
When people feel like they are in the middle of their worst nightmare, it is time to sit in God's presence a while, Micah states.
"Get alone and allow God to fill in the shattered places. It might not happen overnight, and pain may continue for days, months or even years, but I've found that sitting in God's presence gives me what I need for each day. I still cry and I still feel pain, but I don't live shattered. I have an anchor that holds me steady through darkness, light, storms, and devastating winds. Whatever you're facing today, He wants to firmly secure you and fill in the broken places of your life."
Following is the prayer Micah recommends praying for times when life feels out of control:
"Dear Heavenly Father, I need you. When life is too difficult and I cannot understand, I need you. When darkness surrounds me and I cannot sustain the pressure of life, I need you. When it seems my entire world is falling apart, I need you. When life is not what it seems it should be, I need you. Help me to see you, to know you and to feel you near. Give me grace and mercy to face another day. Give me strength and guidance to take a step forward. Fill in the shattered places of my heart and give me peace beyond my understanding. Lord, I need you. In Jesus name, Amen."
