The Squeaky Wheel Gets the Oil: Overcoming Desperation and Repurposing It God’s Way

Have you ever felt desperate?

Desperate for someone to apologize?

Longing for someone to choose you?

Worried that if you don’t snag the first thing that comes along that nothing ever will?

Gossip is a pastime in the south that I try to stay out of. But oh, the times I have heard the whispers pointed at those struggling! “She’s such a pick me.” “He wants every woman he sees.”

While reaching out for the world to love us never works in the way we would like, I still cannot help but listen to the shepherd in me asking silently, “Who hurt you?” “Who left you behind?” “What’s the root?”

Today, if you feel desperate, I wanted to remind you of a few people who felt the same way. The only difference? They wadded up all their desperation and pointed it directly at God.

The Woman Who Chased Jesus Down.

The kicker of this story is we don’t even know the pathology of her disease. It could have been contagious. The woman had bled for 12 full years and she pushed through a crowd, bleeding, just to touch the very strings of his garment. Her desperate faith healed her completely.

Hannah Yelling at the Priest and Doing Business with God.

Hannah was a woman on a mission! She went to the temple where the priest Eli pretty much asked, “Girl, what are you doing?” She was disheveled. Broken. Appeared drunk. Basically, Hannah said, “I have business with God. Call me drunk one more time!” She was in fact very sober and very sad. That prayer brought her joy back and it also birthed Samuel, a mighty prophet who changed an entire nation.

A Thief Who Used His Last Breaths to Ask for Help.

I can’t imagine being sentenced to a cross for stealing. We don’t even know what the thief on the cross next to Jesus stole. The punishment for what might seem small today was HUGE back then. The thief used the last of his energy to ask Jesus to remember him when He came into His Kingdom. And out of that desperation a thief with maybe moments to live was welcomed into heaven because he used his desperation to ASK! Imagine that.

As you navigate depression, loneliness, addiction, divorce, hurt…

Whatever you are reaching for… put it down.

The only person that will reach back is Jesus sometimes and that is the only One you really need.

If I could look at you on a screen for just a moment, I’d say as much as possible if you might never come into my pastoral office to move past these moments.

And here is what I would say…

“Drugs don’t love you. Your family and God do.

The apology won’t set you free it will set you back because you’ll have to go backwards to get it.

The validation won’t make you like yourself. Liking you will make you like yourself. Jesus will make you love yourself.

Closure is “made up” in most cases unless it involves you and God with the inner work. No one else has the power to give you closure.

A wound hurt but so does a surgical incision. God will reopen a wound to drain the infection. Feel it. Heal it.

It will hurt until it heals but so does a broken bone. Why wouldn’t a broken heart? You’re not done. You’re healing.

It will scar but that tissue will be stronger than all your other skin. Meaning it will be harder to hurt you there ever again.

When you’re lonely, tired, reaching – reach for Jesus. Fill the sadness and lonely with the Word of God, worship, godly community, wise counsel and time with the Lord.”

The squeaky wheel gets the oil.

Jesus is waiting on your yelp for help. If you need to talk about it with a clergy person, you can always find me in my virtual office too. (PS: The first week of October code Pumpkin will take $15 off your hour session if you needed the extra help this week. If you are ever looking for savings be sure to check your email or our stories on socials.)