Answers?

I may be the rare exception to the rule but often when someone confides in me about a struggle, a hurt or a need I typically dig around in my memory bank for something in my life I can relate to their situation so I can say something that sounds like an answer. It is almost less awkward to say “hey I had this situation and…” then to simply listen and say “hey I don’t have an answer for you but I’ll pray”. 

Lately the Holy Spirit has attacked this tendency in me to tritely whip out my cancer story or another situation to match up against the struggle of a friend. I found myself saying “I don’t have any answers or solutions for you but I can listen and I can pray.” 

Of course God allows brokenness in our lives to relate to the sufferings and brokenness of others but it doesn’t mean it is the go to subject for every situation. Often times if you do that you are sometimes missing the chance to simply be still, to listen and to pray for someone. 

So the point is… don’t pretend to to have answers cause chances are you don’t cause you’re not God. If you do have a good story - use it when the time is right not as an escape hatch from the heaviness of the moment.