Feb 262012
HELP ME! HELP ME! HELP ME!
The Lord is my shepherd: I have everything I need. Psalm 23:1
I was so tired, so beaten. I felt alone in the darkness of my life. It was only a few years until retirement and the new life I thought would be coming as I finished my
full-time work. Now, everything had changed. How was I going to get through this
unforeseen physical, emotion and financial field of swords that stood in front of me?
I didn’t want anyone else to see my tired soul, my beaten spirit, my broken heart. I
kept the smiles and gentle banter going with friends and family, as I knew they
couldn’t help nor did I expect them to.
Where could I go? Who could I turn to? How could I turn to something unseen
when the very things and people in my life whom I could see and touch seemed to
be the very causes of this darkness? I was independent and I could handle it…or so I
thought!
One evening, as I sat quietly trying to find reasons for all of this despair, I
realized I didn’t have the answers. I couldn’t do it all by myself. The ‘seen’
couldn’t help me. I asked myself, “Where can I go, what can I do?” The
words of Anne Lamott came to me, “There are only two prayers ‘Help me,
help me, help me,’ and ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you.’” It was then that
I turned to prayer. It was my turn to ask God to “help me.” It was difficult. How would I pray to someone unseen and “for me?” My prayers had always been for others—not me. I just started talking to God. I asked the Great Unseen to give me guidance, strength and
understanding of the path I was meant to follow.
The “Unseen” became a voice—not a man, nor a woman, just a voice. I heard it! “I
will take care of you.” I was awake, my eyes were open! God spoke one sentence…to me. “I will take care of you.” I knew it was God, my great “Unseen” who sees and hears all, who knows what we need and who takes care of all of us.
The weight disappeared from my shoulders and the relief calmed my soul. I was in
God’s hands and God would take care of me. God’s peace and love enveloped me
and I knew I was going to be O.K. Now I patiently wait for the next act in my life’s
play, but I know God is with me. God will reveal the unseen and answer my prayers. I put my trust in God.
Prayer: Dear God, I speak to you, my “unseen” God and I say, “thank you, thank you, thank you.” Amen.
Sandy Galvin