N: People I NEED When Life Stinks

“I am grateful, Lord, that you are always with me. Even when life stinks.” Read Psalm 139.

NOTE: I am taking part in the Blogging A-Z Challenge. Today’s letter is “N.” So I did not purposefully choose to post this topic today. But it is a fitting post for the day after the Boston Marathon bombing.

Although I wouldn’t say that the affected folks are dealing with a stink life. They are dealing with evil.

Please join me in praying for all those affected by yesterday’s events.

When life stinks, I tend to have stinky thinking. This means that I blame instead of brainstorm or accept. I pout or give into fear instead of relying on faith. I hide instead of seeking help, prayer, comfort, advice. And I mistakenly believe this stinky time will go for ever.

But hey, I live in America. It is unlikely my stinky situation will go on forever – unless I perpetuate the situation with stinky thinking and stinky behaviours.

I have learned in my 55 years that I need four types of people around me when life stinks. Or one person with these four traits.

1. I need someone to help me see the truth of the situation. Someone who won’t sugar coat what’s going on, but will be brave. I need someone brave enough to share the reality in a gentle way. I don’t want that person to tell me what to do unless I ask for advice. But please do teach me how to face stinky situations by your actions, few words, and prayers.

2. I need someone who will help me see where God has been in my past. I need someone who will point out how God has used me/helped in the past and how He has always showed up. I need assurance that just because I am in a stinky situation, of my making or the consequence of others, God isn’t done with me. I need reassurance that God is faithful.

3. I need someone who will help me know that God will be with me in the future too. He is the same God today, tomorrow and yesterday. He has a plan for me and will help me fulfill that plan despite the stink that life throws at me sometimes.

4. I need someone who will tell me and believe that I still have potential despite my actions or the actions of others. Remind me that God is bigger than any action and its consequences. Yes, I know that the consequences will probably still be there, but remind me that God will still be there too.

Your Turn . . . What kind of people do you need when your life stinks?

Related Posts . . . 

• “Don’t Worry America, Mum’s Got Your Back”
• Grateful for the Hope That is Within Me
• How To Deal With Evil, Part 1
• How To Deal With Evil, Part 2
• Mother Teresa’s Faith Crisis: Similar to Mine?
• my heart is soooo sad today
• Personal Response to Evil (at Virginia Tech, Columbine & 9/11)
• Remembering Rudolph Riccio

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NOTE: This post is written for the Blogging From A to Z Challenge. There are 22 categories and my category is MI = Miscellaneous.

During the month of April I will post 26 times finishing up posts that have been in my draft fie for at least a year. For a list of all the posts go to the A-Z button on my header.

Today’s letter is N. The topic is the people I NEED when life stinks.