Happy to be Stuck

“I am happy to be stuck” Sounds crazy right? For many of us “being stuck” conjures up memories of frustration and/or embarrassment.

On the top of my list was the time I was driving a full sized van of youth sponsors home from a youth leaders retreat. It was 29 years ago but it’s still a vivid memory probably because I got a new name that night (you’ll have to ask.) The retreat was back in a wooded area off a dirt road. It had been rainy so the road was very muddy, an important fact. So, a caravan of vehicles are driving down this dark dirt road and I am in the middle. The ruts in the road were big so I was dodging them the best I could. I got over to the edge as much as possible to avoid a rut. What I didn’t realize was that the passing cars had sprayed mud up on the grasses growing in the ditch. Over time the mud weighed down the grasses and then additional layers of mud made the road look wider than it was. Needless to say the van went down to both axles. I was so stuck that only a tow truck could get me out. While we are all standing around the van wondering what we are going to do a bus pulls up and a youth pastor friend jumps out with a bunch of his guys. After a bunch of raving my friend got all the guys around the van and they literally pick it up and put it back on the road. I thought that was impossible but I saw it happen.

Isaiah 52:12 says, For you shall not go out with haste, Nor go by flight; For the Lord will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard. I can tell you first hand that though we don’t see Him or feel Him, He is there. God might not always keep us from getting stuck but he will always help us out of whatever mess we are in.

Being stuck in-between Him is a great place to be. Let life happen and bring what it does; ruts, muddy roads and even things not being what they seem like resulting in getting stuck. Look at life and say” bring it, cuz God is in front of me and He has my back”.