What God Wants You to Do When You’re in Distress

I was never happier to be awoken at 2 AM than on a particular night a couple of years ago. My daughter was screaming bloody murder that pierced the low hum of white noise through the baby monitor.

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But it wasn’t her fear of some she-beast in the closet or some gnome under her bed that made me happy. That would just make me the worst dad ever. No, it wasn’t her screaming that made me happy, but what she was screaming that did:


DADDY! DADDY!


If you don’t know my daughter then this probably doesn’t make any sense. But let me explain. Georgia is the mommiest mommy’s girl who ever lived. From birth till now, I think she’s voluntarily hugged me three times. (Okay, maybe an exaggeration.) As a baby she wouldn’t let anyone but Mom hold her. Anyone. It took her about a year to warm up to her grandparents.

So when she woke up in the middle of the night that night a couple of years ago and cried, “Daddy” instead of “Mommy” I wasn’t going to waste the opportunity. I leapt up like I’d just been called to come on down as the next contestant on the Price Is Right and ran to her room, snatching her up in my arms, enjoying every single second of making her fear go away.

Guess what?

The same is true with you and God.

He’s not happy when you suffer, not one bit. But He’s eager to help you, and He longs for you to cry out to Him in your despair.

So often you and I try to tough it out, to bite our tongues and rub some dirt on the wounds rather than calling out for comfort to our God.

Some afflictions originate from God for a greater good. He uses them as discipline to strengthen you. As Hebrews says:

God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. Hebrews 12:10b

But even in those times, God wants you to rely on Him. He knows what’s best for you, and only He can truly alleviate your pain.

Just remember, you’re never too old to call out for your Dad.

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