Trouble Zone

When my loved ones are in trouble, I rush to their side. I commiserate, comfort, and empathize. I’m focused on their suffering. I tend to get agitated when I can’t alleviate their suffering. This does not help the situation.

In 1 Thessalonians 3, Paul sends Timothy to some friends in trouble:"We sent him to strengthen you, to encourage you in your faith, and to keep you from being shaken by the troubles you were going through. But you know that we are destined for such troubles…I sent Timothy to find out whether your faith was still strong. I was afraid that the tempter had gotten the best of you…" (1 Thess. 3:2-5 NLT)

Trouble is inevitable. As God’s helpers, we are sent out to trouble zones frequently. Our mission is to strengthen, encourage, and stabilize TRUST in God. Instead we focus on the suffering. What caused it? Why did this happen? What can we do to help the trouble disappear? We explain how we have felt in similar situations. We share our experiences, we empathize, we comfort, and we try to make the pain go away. It seems insensitive to remind someone who is in pain to TRUST God. Yet, that is exactly what we are called to do in troubled times—to stabilize Faith, to keep the tempter from using the chaos to whip us into further agitation.

When I am called in to assist in Trouble Zones, here is what I would like to do: First, go in and listen—allow those in trouble to share their pain. Second, comfort—do whatever I can to give them immediate care—a hug, food, a touch, or just consistent support. Third, share my experience, so that they don’t feel alone. As I share my experience of suffering, I need to emphasize how God was trustworthy, reliable, dependable—how God got me through the trouble zone. This is the most important, the most useful thing I can do in any crisis situation—to strengthen and encourage someone in faith.