Stuck
by Brian HensonAs I sit here in front of the computer, I’m wracking my brain, asking the question, “What should I write about?” and for a while, nothing has come. After a while, I realized I was “stuck”—a highly sophisticated term writers use to describe times when they can’t think of what to write! Then it hit me: why not write about being stuck? Not writer’s block “stuck,” but another kind. And so that’s what I’m doing. Why not give it a shot and see what happens? Okay, now that you’ve been warned…A lot has happened around St. Patrick in recent weeks. Aside from the normal craziness of cranking back up with the normal fall routine—school, sports, etc.—our ministries, most of which have taken at least a small break for the summer, are back in high gear. Under ideal circumstances, this would make us want to hit the “pause” button for a few minutes and catch our collective breath. But we haven’t had ideal circumstances, have we? If you have been around our parish long, you know that we lost two of our own on September 8th—Margaret Simpson and Randy McFall. Their lives were very different: Mrs. Margaret was a world traveler and hero of World War II. Randy lived and ministered most of his life in subtle, behind-the-scene ways right here in the Memphis area. Mrs. Margaret lived to be one month shy of 98 years old, and died after a couple of brief illnesses and complications from a stroke. We lost Randy in his late-50’s to a sudden, massive heart attack. Despite their differences, they had two big things in common: they were followers of Jesus, and they are sorely missed. As Mrs. Montyne Sammons, Mrs. Margaret’s sister, said to me last week, “Nothing seems right around here.” Amen.Now, add to these pains the griefs and burdens all of us bear as individuals and families. In the midst of all of this, it’s easy to be tempted to shut down, to abandon hope, and consequently lose our bearings. Our perception becomes our reality, and things continue to unravel. As Alister McGrath writes in his powerful little book, Doubting: “It’s the way we see things, rather than the way things actually are, which is the problem...” That’s certainly the case for me. “Pause” turns into “stuck” really fast. In those moments, God seems far away. The Bible seems irrelevant. Prayers seem to bounce off the ceiling. Circumstances loom so large that we can’t see anything else. So what do we do when these times hit? How do we get “unstuck”?First of all, it’s crucial to remember that you aren’t the only one who goes through these times. Don’t skip over that sentence—go back and read it again; I’ll wait. Okay, now that you’ve done that, let’s talk about why it’s so important. The lie that you are the only one going through difficult times can cripple you in two ways. On one hand, it can lead to despair: “I’m the only one going through this; no one can possibly understand.” You feel worthless and alone. On the other hand, it can lead to disobedience: “I’m the only one going through this, so surely I am the exception to God’s rules here.” God knows our propensity to reason like this, which is at least part of the reason he includes this in Scripture: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Cor. 10:13) Do you see it? Paul speaks specifically about temptation here, but this applies to all of our difficulties. Other people—other believers—have been there. We are not alone, and God can bring us through it just as he has countless others.In fact, we see evidence of people fighting against this “stuckness” in Scripture, and that leads me to my second point: go to the Psalms. The Psalms are the heartbeat of the Bible. The full emotional range is there. The folks that wrote these words were going through all sorts of trials: abandonment, loneliness, betrayal, danger—you name it. And they had to fight, they had to argue with themselves, they had to push against their own hearts, which wanted to grind to a halt. When confronted with despair, the Psalmist writes this: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” (Ps. 42:5) When fear and uncertainties abound, the Psalmist reminds himself: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Ps. 46:1) When all David could feel was desperation, he cried out, “Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck!” (Ps. 69:1) Do you see what’s happening? The Psalmists are arguing their way out of being stuck. Circumstances say one thing, but the truth is something different, and they had to remind themselves of where their hope was found.Interestingly, U2 picks up this theme in a song they recorded in 2000 called “Stuck In A Moment You Can’t Get Out Of.” It is a fictitious argument between U2 lead singer, Bono, and his close friend and lead singer of INXS, Michael Hutchence, who after battling addictions for some time, committed suicide. In the song, Bono is arguing with his friend about the foolishness of such an act, reasoning that Michael, on the brink of taking his own life, is “stuck in a moment” that will pass if he just hangs on a bit longer. All he could see at that moment were his circumstances, and Bono was trying to get him to see past it, as dark as it was.Regardless of whether your “stuck” experiences are as dramatic as the one described above, or those more routine down periods of life, go to the Psalms to find the language to “argue” the truth to your heart. It’s all right there for the taking. Don’t settle for “stuck.” Fight against it.Of course, the main truth we have to look at to fight against a stuck heart is the gospel. At the cross, reality comes into the clearest focus we will ever see in this life. We see God’s character—his holiness, his justice, his hatred of sin, his love, his mercy, his grace—by condemning Jesus to death for sinners like you and me. And we know the rest of the story—Jesus got up out the grave, thereby guaranteeing that his Word is true, and that all who trust in him will share in a resurrection like his. This means that God is for us! He is with us! He is worthy of our praise! And it’s these truths, more than any other that God will use to help us through those “stuck” seasons of life.