I Am Hurting. Would Someone Help Me!?!

I am hurting. Would someone help me!?!

Every person at some point in their life makes the above statement.  For many people they make the statement more often.  There are days we feel like we should have just stayed in bed.  Some people opted for staying in bed because they already knew how bad the day was going to be. Some reach levels of depression that cripple emotionally and, in some cases, physically.  As a Christian we are told to trust God, wait on God, and bear your own burden and so on with other spiritually sounding sayings.  But what happens when that just doesn’t seem to help?  What does the Bible really teach about dealing with troubles?

Galatians 6:1-9 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For every man shall bear his own burden. Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their and they shall walk, and not faint.

Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Above are a few verses that many use for comfort when days are dark. But do these verses really help? Phrases such as don’t be weary in well doing, wait on the Lord, it is going to work out to good in the end.  I see pats on the back, smiling faces, and atta boy.  But no real help.  When all is said and done the problem still remains and in some cases gets worse.  So what does the Bible really say about how to deal with the problem without the cliché. 

Let’s look at a few examples in the Bible of those who had bad days and how they dealt with it.  

The most obvious story is that of Job. Job woke up one morning not knowing that God and Satan were talking about him.  Have you ever felt like people were talking about you?  Within a few minutes Job lost his possessions, his children, his livelihood.  Shortly after, Job lost his good health.  Job was not comfortable sitting, standing, lying down or standing.  His entire body was in pain.  Then, after seven days of the silent treatment from his friends, his "friends" go on and on about how bad Job is.  Job began to cry out,  "I am hurting! Would someone help me!?"  He cried out to God and asked why.   God then goes on for five chapters reminding Job that he is nothing when compared to God, the Creator of all.  His wife piles on and tells Job to curse God and die.  

Wow, I feel so much better, don’t you. Let’s look at another example found in Elijah.  Elijah had a great day of victory in the Lord!  And then, everything went downhill.

1 Kings 19:1-14: And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and withal how he had slain all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger unto Elijah, saying, So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I make not thy life as the life of one of them by to morrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose, and went for his life, and came to Beersheba, which belongeth to Judah, and left his servant there. But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel of the LORD came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God. And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah? And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: because the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.

Elijah felt all alone and wanted to die. He was angry and depressed.  God did to Elijah what He did to Job.  God reminded Elijah that God is great and Elijah is nothing apart from God.  When Elijah asked God for help, the Lord did not give him any answers to his questions. 

Paul also experienced difficulties.  

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.

Paul’s answer was to be glad that he was going through bad times. 

On the surface, we begin to think that we are just to suffer through the struggles and not question God and be happy we are miserable.  People are flocking to churches for answers, but the people in them have no answers.  "I am hurting.  Would someone help me!?"  What is the answer?

The answer is in every one of these passages that many times just gets missed.  In Galatians 6 we see where God tells us not to be weary, that a reaping reward is coming, but that is not the answer to our problems.  The answer is in verse ten.  

Galatians 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.  

The answer when we are having a bad day is to do good for and to someone else.  When we have a bad day we want someone to help us, but the Bible teaches us that the answer is that we help someone else.  Let’s prove it with the other passages.  The answer to Job is found in the last chapter.

Job 42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.   

When Job did for his friends, then God answered Job’s problem.  Job got his eyes off of his own troubles and stepped out to help his friends with theirs. 

On Elijah's bad day God gave him the same answer.  

1 Kings 19:15-18 And the LORD said unto him, Go, return on thy way to the wilderness of Damascus: and when thou comest, anoint Hazael to be king over Syria: And Jehu the son of Nimshi shalt thou anoint to be king over Israel: and Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abelmeholah shalt thou anoint to be prophet in thy room. And it shall come to pass, that him that escapeth the sword of Hazael shall Jehu slay: and him that escapeth from the sword of Jehu shall Elisha slay. Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.  

God did not answer Elijah, He just gave him a task to do.  The answer is to get out of the bed and go do exactly what God tells you to do.  God took care of Elijah’s problems when he helped another.

Paul has the same answer.  

2 Corinthians 12:14-15 Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.

The answer is to do unto others as you would have them do unto you.  It is not "as some have thought do unto me and I might some day do unto you."  

It does not make human nature sense, but it is the truth.  What we should be saying is, "I am hurting. How can I help you?"