I had a little red wagon as a child. My best friend and I made good use of it. We had a portable lemonade stand in it, we took our toys for rides and used the wagon as an advertisement for a dog-walking service. We were quite the little entrepreneurs! As the years passed, the wagon lost its shiny red paint. The wheels wobbled, and the handle became loose. Our lives look much the same way. We all start off shiny and new but as time goes on, we too loose that luster of youth and feel a little wobbly. It’s not just age that causes our wheels to wobble, or even to fall off, sometimes it’s suffering and trials that bring us to a halt. First, one wheel comes off, then another, and another, and soon we find ourselves at a standstill. The crushing weight of pain, discouragement, or grief can be overwhelming. If we’re honest, we may wonder where God is in all of this. There are times in our lives when the trials roll in, and over us, at such a rate we can hardly come up for air to breathe.

When the wheels come off in my life, I usually look for quick answers and solutions. I want to get operational again as soon as possible. I want those wheels back on spinning at a rapid forward speed, so once again I’m back in control. What happens when events and circumstances in our lives seem insurmountable and overwhelming? An unexpected trip to the ER, emergency surgery, discouraging news from a doctor, endless hours near a loved one’s hospital bed, or standing over a fresh grave can leave us deeply saddened and drained.

Psalms 46:1 gives us a powerful promise. “God is our refuge and strength a very present help in times of trouble.” Notice it says God is our refuge and strength. The world has nothing to offer us in terms of refuge and strength. I linger long over the part that says “a very present help.” Present, as in right now! Have you ever needed His presence and power immediately? When we cry out to God, He does come through, often in ways we would never have expected. Yes, miracles happen, but usually, it’s the supernatural peace and strength that God gives or opportunities that come our way to comfort others with the comfort we ourselves have received.

Psalms 145:18 says, “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in Truth.” The greatest comfort we can ever receive comes from God. That’s the first place we look. Recently I was gazing at a majestic mountain range in Utah, and I thought of Psalms 121:1-2,
“I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord. The maker of heaven and earth.”

Other believers can also be a great source of comfort. When Jesus was hanging on the cross, there were a group of women weeping nearby. They couldn’t change or fix the situation, but they were present. They offered the ministry of presence. Those who are really hurting don’t need a lot of words, but they do need our presence. I once heard of a woman who had a friend who was deeply hurting. She pulled into her driveway and prayed, then quietly pulled out. Her friend may have never known what her precious friend did for her, but who knows, maybe it was at that exact moment her friend desperately needed prayer.

Life for you right now may be humming along, and your wheels are all intact. During the good times, we have thankful hearts, and we give a sigh of relief. But we need to take note of those whose wheels are wobbly and broken. Trials, suffering, and grief come to us all. Sometimes we are reluctant to come alongside the hurting for fear we may say or do the wrong thing, or we can’t identify with their pain or situation, or we think someone else is meeting their needs. The list of excuses, sadly, is long.

Is your wagon limping along? Are the wheels wobbling or threatening to come off completely? Take heart dear one. The Lord’s promises never fail; “they are new every morning; great is thy faithfulness!”

When in deepest anguish, our prayers fall from our lips in earnest cries for relief. Where are you O God, I feel not Your presence?
“Be still my child,” comes the tender whisper.
“I’ve been here all along, I’ve never left your side.

My strength is made perfect in weakness.
 I waited until you had drained all your resources and came to the end of yourself. 
Hold tight to me, it’s my righteousness right hand that is holding you up.
 My peace unfolds and quietly envelopes your soul and fills your heart and mind with the purity of my Word.
Rest now, relax—I’m here now.”