One awkward moment: counseling by the Word

Anybody who knows me knows that I believe in counseling from the Word of God.  I believe that the hope for our problems can come from Jesus alone and that His Word has the answers to what we are going through.  Tonight I had a counseling session where I was thrown back and I wasn't sure what to do.  I felt like I was too young to help the woman I was asked to help.  I felt like I didn't have the experience or know what it was I needed to say or even if I did know what to say I wasn't sure if I should say it.

Tonight my friend Elisabeth Palmer introduced me to this song called One Awkward Moment by Casting Crowns.  At first I didn't really understand what it was about and then I looked up the lyrics.  It is a powerful song that really helped me to think.

To me the first part of this song is talking about a girl who got lost somewhere along the way.  She feels all alone and she needs someone to help her but she's never going to ask.

She's a castaway
Stranded on the island of her yesterdays
Freedom was her ocean, but she got swept away
Little princess dreaming got lost somewhere in the waves

Left behind
She's been going at this all alone since she was nine
But God loves you, He's got a plan for you, she's heard all the lines
But when she opens up her heart nobody's got the time

Could this be the day that you come to the rescue?
She's desperate for the light but she's never gonna ask you

This is where it gets to the part that I was feeling tonight.  Where you've had your own struggles that you've been going through.  You feel like you're too young, she'll be able to see through your masquerade and tell that you don't know what you're doing.  You don't want to say the wrong thing and push her away.  But you can't give into the fear you are feeling because she's standing right there and you're here for a reason.  God has you here for a purpose.  He didn't put someone else there.  He put you!  He has something that He wants to teach you maybe and He has something He wants to teach her through you!  I am reminded of Esther when Mordecai tells Esther in Esther 4:14, "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father's house will perish.  And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this."

One word, one hand
Tell me is that too high a price
One awkward moment
Could be the one that saves a life
Your hurt, your scars
God will use to open up her eyes
One awkward moment
You'll see the gospel come alive
Come alive

Who are you to say
You've got shipwrecks of your own
You're too young in your faith
She's a smart one, she will see right through your masquerade
You're scared that what you don't know might push her away

But don't cave to the weight of the fear that you're feeling
'Cause she's standing right here and you're here for a reason

The last part to me means you've gone through some of the same things she has.  You've walked in her shoes.  You know the pain and you've heard the lies.  But you know that He is the way the truth and the life.  You've gone through struggles and pain and God never wastes any hurts or any pain that you have gone through! God will use your scars and your hurt to open up her eyes and to change her life and you will see the gospel come alive!

You've walked in her shoes
You've heard the lies, you know the pain
But He's still the truth, He's still the life, He's still the way

One word, one hand
Tell me is that too high a price
One awkward moment
Could be the one that saves a life
Your hurt, your scars
God will use to open up her eyes
One awkward moment
You'll see the gospel come alive

You've walked in her shoes
You've heard the lies, you know the pain
Come alive
But He's still the truth, He's still the life, He's still the way
Come alive
You've walked in her shoes
You've heard the lies, you know the pain
Come alive
But He's still the truth, He's still the life, He's still the way
Could this be the day that you come to the rescue?

Don't let a moment of fear keep you from being used by God! You never know how He will use you and He will bless you as a result!  God has comforted us during our different trials and circumstances so that we can comfort others in the midst of their trials.  It is so we can point them to the only hope there is, and that is in Jesus!  To some it may be too simple of an answer and it may seem like we are just throwing around Bible verses! But the Gospel and the Word of God changes lives! Jesus changes lives!  He takes those without hope and gives them hope! He takes broken people and He turns them into something that is beautiful.  What we are going through may seem too hard to handle but God is using it to help us become more like Christ!  Never be afraid to speak the truth just because you are young or because you are afraid you don't know the answers or you are afraid how the other person might react.  God uses anyone! All He needs is someone with a willing heart to serve Him and obey Him! As my friends in Hawaii would say, "A hui hou" or until we meet again, lets strive to follow Christ as closely as we can and to love others and see others the way He does!