Cry out to me whenever you are in trouble; I will deliver you, then you will honor me.” Psalm 50:15 (The Daily Life Bible)
I struggled to push back the rising panic. How in the world do I get myself in these messes? I groaned. I’d gone to the department store that evening to shop for a dress; it had been years since I’d bought one, and two weddings were coming up. I finally found a pretty peach dress with a side zipper.
Figuring I could wear a smaller size dress than pants, I pulled one off the rack and headed for the dressing room. As soon as I pulled the dress over my head, I saw that the sides of the zipper wouldn’t even come close to each other. So I tried to pull the dress off. It wouldn’t budge. I tried pushing it down over my hips. No chance.
Several times I grabbed the bottom edge and pulled upward. I was stuck. My husband was on a job assignment out of the country. My daughter had recently moved away. Should I call a friend to come to the store with a pair of scissors? Should I stick my head out of the dressing room and call a salesperson?
Then I thought about praying for help. And I’m not sure how, but I finally got out of that dress. I often find myself in situations that would be hilarious if they were scenes in a television sitcom, but in real life–not so much.
If the circumstances are the result of my own foolishness or poor choices, I don’t immediately think of praying for help. Yet I wouldn’t hesitate to call out to Jesus if I were in a serious emergency. Since Jesus loves me unconditionally, I should trust Him to respond to my cries anytime I need Him, whether I’m in mortal danger or just stuck in a too-small dress in a department store.
Faith step: This is week watch for any feelings of panic or helplessness that arise. Regardless of the situation, immediately recite Psalm 50:15, then ask Jesus to rescue you. Trust that He will answer.
