You Are Never AloneSampl

God Is with You When You’re Stuck

Feeling stuck is a helpless, hopeless feeling. But although we may feel stuck at times, our circumstances are never an obstacle to Jesus. He wants to help get us unstuck, regardless of the reason we got stuck in the first place. We see this in the next two miracles that John relates. These involved two men who desperately needed a miracle: an official from Capernaum, and a sick man by the pool of Bethesda. Both men were stuck, but for different reasons.

In John 4:43–54, we read about an official whose son was very sick. He had done everything he could for his boy but had reached the end of his resources. Now, he was stuck. But he had heard about a man named Jesus who had the power to heal his boy. So he walked all day from Capernaum to Cana, found Jesus, and begged him to come and heal his son. He didn’t imply he was worthy of divine assistance. He just came to Christ as a desperate father. 

The man not only had a request but also a plan of action: the two would walk to Capernaum to the dying boy. Jesus’ response might surprise us. “Will you never believe in me unless you see miraculous signs and wonders?” (John 4:48 NLT). Perhaps Jesus saw contingent faith in the request of the father. The man not only asked for help, but he also told Jesus the way that help should be administered. For whatever reason, Christ felt a warning was in order. Jesus told him to go home and that his son would live. He didn’t offer to come with him. 

This was the moment the man made the choice to believe the spoken word of Christ. As a result, not only was the boy healed, but the miracle also resulted in the saving faith of the entire household. The life-giving miracle of healing the boy was short-term. But the faith-giving miracle of Jesus was eternal. Those in the man’s household received everlasting life. 

Later, in John 5:1–15, we read a story about a paralyzed man by the pool of Bethesda. As John writes, “an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had” (verse 4 NKJV). The man had been stuck in that condition for thirty-eight years. 

Jesus saw the man’s need for physical healing. But he also saw a deeper need. It prompted him to ask the man, “Do you want to get well” (verse 6 NIV). Jesus saw that the man needed to get unstuck. He needed to be motivated to act in faith. Jesus met both of his needs.

Feeling stuck is often an issue of a not-yet-answered prayer. Or a not-answered-in-the-way-I-asked prayer. How do we walk by faith when we are thus far blind to the solution? Christ may not reveal all the answers that we desire to have, but he does assure us, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5 NIV). Perhaps the answer will come this side of heaven. Perhaps it awaits you on the other side. Either way, God is as near as our next breath. Closer than our own skin (see Psalm 139:7–10). He is present to help—not hurt, harm, or hinder. 

So hold on! Don’t give up. Help is here. Assume that something good is going happen. God is at work. He isn’t finished yet! Set your compass on the polestar of God’s promise, and place one weary foot in front of the other. Jesus has spoken. Let his word do what it was intended to do: lead you home. Are you ready to get unstuck? Don’t wait another day to believe in the Jesus who believes in you and begin the hike; get excited about getting going. See what God will do!

Respond

Describe a time when you felt stuck between a prayer and God’s response. What was your relationship with him like at this time? 

How can taking God at his word change the way you walk in faith?

In what areas of your life would you like to move from being “stuck” to walking in faith? How is your understanding of God’s love and specific interest in your life part of this process?