Guest Post by Linda Nance.

I love watching children play! Their innocence and imagination are refreshing – especially, as they learn about the world around them.

I recently had the privilege of watching my youngest grandson, Isaiah. Isaiah is a typical 2-year old little boy. He can play with just about anything and have a BIG time enjoying even simple pleasures. In this instance, he was playing with a cardboard box that his daddy had taped together for packing. I watched as Isaiah climbed in and out of it – “packed and unpacked” it with things – hid under it – and ultimately, sat in it and got stuck.

Picture this with me… The box was lying on its long side and Isaiah has discovered a new way to get in it with his little hind end just about touching the natural bottom of the box, so he’s sitting, tightly bent over in half with his feet and head sticking straight out. (Oh, the agility of toddlers!) He was fine even with this contorted position until he tried to get out of the box by standing straight up too soon, instead of scooting forward first to get out of it.

Panic began to set in once he realized his predicament. He wasn’t crying, but he was definitely looking for help. I heard this little voice saying “Help… Guys?!?!” (as if to say, “is anyone around… I can’t see anyone…oh, no! I’m all alone!”) “Help! I’n ‘tuck! HELP!!!”  Each word got a little more insistent and closer to the edge of panic. I’d been watching the whole time and I could see it coming but it was funny nonetheless.

My response was immediate, “Saiah, you look so funny! I want a picture of that!” and I took a picture of him while he’s repeating his plea for help.  But just the sound of my voice obviously calmed him because as I was taking the picture, he much more calmly said, “Help! Guys, I’n ‘tuck! CHEEEEEEESE!” Immediately after I snapped the photo, he scooted himself around enough that he popped out of the box on his own.

Isaiah’s story was funny but as I was remembering it I realized that:

1) his situation was temporary
2) all he needed to do to get “unstuck” was to bow down.

I’m not trying in any way to make light of anyone’s feelings.  They are/were very real!   Sometimes the places where we are stuck are not so innocent or so easily rectified.  I remember the world-riveting account in October of 1987 when Baby Jessica, who was about 18 months old at the time, fell into an 8-inch well-casing.  She was stuck there for 58 hours while rescuers worked frantically around the clock to free her.  I can only imagine the fear and anxiety of this little one and her parents and others around her, but I also remember that the rescuers did many things to help alleviate her fears (part of which was the simple reassurance of their presence).  So, sometimes our getting unstuck requires outside intervention.  Sometimes there are no easy answers to why we are stuck, or simple solutions to rectify the situation. However, simply asking for assistance (i.e. bowing down in the situation) often times may be one of the fastest ways to get unstuck.

Just as with Isaiah’s being ‘tuck, there is someone watching who is able and willing to step in and help.  But just because God doesn’t immediately step-in and/or take us out of the situation does not mean He’s not willing or able to do so, or that He does not hear us.  Sometimes He has a greater purpose in our predicament. Be patient.  Often easier said than done!

Pray.  Just as Isaiah calmed immediately with the sound of my voice (which came after his plea for help), as soon as we are reassured of God’s presence we will “feel” better.  This can be true even when rescue from the situation takes longer than we like, or the outcome is not what we want.  Again, He may have a greater lesson for us to learn from the situation.  Ask yourself the question, “Am I willing to learn from the day-to-day experiences of life?”

As Isaiah learns to how manipulate his surroundings, he will learn how to get unstuck. He may learn that there are situations he should avoid altogether so that he doesn’t get stuck in the first place. But sometimes the lessons that stick only come through experiences with getting stuck.

We all feel stuck from time to time, but hopefully this picture will help remind us of a season in life and where/how God led us out of being ‘tuck.