I remember the immediate weeks following my dad’s passing was a time of immense stress for me. The impact of what happened only hit me in waves and sometimes it was too much to process.

Over the next few months, my lunchbreaks at work were devoted to making phone calls to settle his estate, responding to debt collectors and paying hospital bills and funeral expenses. None of this brought me a sense of closure. Instead, it made me feel like I was reliving the very moment of his passing, over and over again. I hated having to explain the “reason I’m calling” to every person and I started feeling overwhelmed.

Burden of Responsibilites

I needed both wisdom and guidance and I needed it fast! It reminded me of the situation King Solomon found himself in, when his father, King David, died. David had a list of final to-do’s before his death and a reminder for his son that it would be good for Solomon to stay on the path of following the Lord. Solomon started to follow through with the wish list and the telling of the pivotal moments that followed are found in 1 Kings 3:4-15.

Here we catch a glimpse of the vulnerability of a young leader faced with an overwhelming set of responsibilities. We also see the heart of God and His response to the King’s desire to keep his promise to his father. Not only did God grant the King his request for wisdom, God made it a point to share that he also plans to give him things he didn’t ask for. What a great reminder of God’s provision for believers in stressful situations.

Stop to ASK!

Sometimes when the harsh realities of life become too much, we tend to forget the easiest thing we can do is pause and ask for help. I find that it’s in these times, when I’m feeling overwhelmed, that the enemy creeps into my thought patterns. To tell me that I shouldn’t ask. That if I do, it’s a sign of weakness, a sign of unbelief and that’s not acceptable for Christians. What a lie and a trap that I’ve fallen into several times! Praise God for the Holy Spirit that stands with us and fights to remind us we have access to God and to His sweet presence throughout the day. So ask, friends! Ask for peace, ask for wisdom, ask for a spirit of discernment, ask for boldness. Just as he was pleased with King Solomon, our God is pleased when we do the same.