Are You In a Tight Spot?

Back in the 80’s my brother spent a lot of time caving throughout the limestone caves of his area in Texas. He still loves it, but as he says, “it’s a sport for young people” and “very dangerous”. When he began to talk about crawling through tight spots I began to feel claustrophobic! He even shared about the time he got stuck in a tight spot. Once his friend talked him through it, they came through to a massive open cavern full of wonder. Why would anyone want to edge their way through areas so tight they could get wedged in? I don’t know about you, but getting in a tight spot just doesn’t appeal to me. The thought of massive rock above and below, with no way to dig through, dig out or dig away just makes me feel like I’m suffocating. To think that anyone would choose to do that is beyond me.



I know sometimes the way of life seems broad and free. We breathe easily, we enjoy the beauty of creation and we admire the sky and all that surrounds us. Other times we find ourselves in a tight spot, either of our own making or that which is just part of life. We want to hold our breath, punch our way through and feel like we’re going to die! Panic sets in and we can’t go forward and we can’t go backward. We want to scream, but it only makes things worse. The situation we find ourselves in has us stuck. No one can hear us and no one can help us.


Thankfully for the believer, no matter what kind of spot we’re in or how we got there, we have someone who is always ready to move heaven and earth for us. We call out to Jesus and find He is already there! It might take some time to get dislodged from our circumstances, but all the way He leads us. His heavenly promises are there to guide us through like a light shining in the dark cavern of worry, fear, trouble, disappointment, cares and more. Unlike cavers, who rely on other people’s knowledge or their own wits, we have a Savior who watches over us. We have a God who is there to see us through. We have the Angel of the Lord encamping around us, when we fear only God!


Are you in a tight spot? You may be wondering how it could have happened. You took precautions, you calculated the risk, you kept yourself safe and yet here you are. Troubles surround you like boulders in a cave. Your heart is beating wildly because you don’t know what to do! You could be thinking you got yourself into this; you’ll have to get yourself out. Or you maybe pointing the blame at someone who put you in this position, hoping they get what they deserve. But that doesn’t help you does it?


Oh beloved, call out to the Lord! He is the One Who will answer when no one else hears. He is the One Who will set you free when no one else knows you are trapped. He is the One Who will deliver you from the tight spots of life. He will always answer! He will always come to your aid! He will always be willing! He never turns off His response system and He never refuses to help those who call on Him in spirit and truth. You can relax as you trust in His unfailing love. You can rest, even in the hard places, for He cares so very much for you!


Try Him today and let Him prove His love and care for you always! You are His beloved and He will stay with you through it all!


Psalm 86:6-7 Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; and give heed to the voice of my supplications! In the day of my trouble I shall call upon You, For You will answer me.

Psalm 118:5 When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD;He brought me into a spacious place.

Psalm 138:3 As soon as I pray, You answer me; You encourage me by giving me strength.

2 Samuel 22:20 He led me to a place of safety; He rescued me because He delights in me.

Sweet Spot to Tight Spot? God is With You!

For some reason, my name was chosen to lead praise and worship at church Sunday, like a name pulled from a hat. Not much rhyme or reason there. I can sing, but I’m not a singer. It’s just not my calling. I do play the piano, but an accompanist is not a leader. Our praise and worship leader was going to be out of town and he called out my name to our pastor. Really.




I was fretting about it for... several days. I did pray, but mostly that God would intervene! My pastor said if God told me not to he’d find someone else. Well, I never heard from God on that, so I fretted some more! Then right in the middle of my wondering about it, Danny just made a little suggestion. He reminded me that he had bought a praise and worship dvd a year or so ago at a greatly discounted price. We’d watched it once, but never done anything with it. After all, we don’t “lead” praise and worship, so why would we ever need it?



Well, that dvd was the icing on the cake of God’s making. I was relaxed and ready – how could anything go wrong when it was all laid out. I wouldn’t have to do much except share what God had spoken to me about praise and worship and let the dvd do its work.



Except our praise and worship leader was there! I thought for sure I was off the hook, but no, he said that I had prepared all week (he didn’t know what all I had done lol), so I needed to go ahead. Now it was worse – the worship leader would be PRESENT! With sweaty palms I proceeded. One of our elders asked me if I was leading the worship service and I so “no, God is!” I figured since God got me into this I’d just blame Him!



I got up and shared what God had shown me – that while I was not a worship leader, I was a praiser and a worshiper by nature. The dvd began, I stepped over beside the worship leader and then God did what God always does – He took over! I asked our song leader to lead and stepped into the pew by my husband. It was awesome!

We all have gifts from the Lord that are meant to be used to edify the church body. But sometimes God nudges out of our comfort zones. I’m not sure I know why, but I know He knew it would happen when He prompted Danny to buy the dvd. I know He knew the outcome while I was trying to prepare. I know He had a plan and I was allowed to be on it in some small way. Get ready, because God may ask you to get out of your sweet spot and into a tight spot so that His glory will shine through!



Oh beloved, God says to you this morning, Let Me use you! Let Me guide you! Know beloved, that even when others ask something of you that’s out of your realm of possibilities, God might just be asking you to let Him perform the impossible through you. Every opportunity given to share the Gospel, love on God’s people, serve Him in unusual ways or shine His light is from Him! Sure it might be a little uncomfortable, sure it might be beyond you, sure it might take great faith to proceed, but those are God’s working plans! He takes you beloved, out of your comfort zone and into His blessings. He promises always to use you, bless you and guide you so that you can grow in faith and He can be glorified! He loves you and He’s for you and that’s worth saying, “Yes, Lord, Yes!”



Matthew 14:29 "Yes, come," Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus.



Philippians 4:13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.


Acts 9:10-16 (v.13 “But Lord! exclaimed Ananias…”



2 Corinthians 12:9 Each time He said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.



I Corinthians 2:5 …so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.