NOBODY KNOWS, BUT . . .

Got trouble ?
Do you instinctively think of what to say to tell someone about your trouble ?
I do.
– – –
+Somebody has to hear about my trouble and understand and help me—at least sympathize with me.
+Sometimes nobody could possibly understand my trouble—so I’m wasting my time and theirs.
+Sometimes there just isn’t anybody there—so NOBODY KNOWS my trouble !

I’m working on changing that default compulsion to tell someone my trouble—to play the speech in my mind—changing that, to this:
(And maybe this will help someone else.)
“Call upon Me in the day of trouble . . .”—practice doing that every time, every trouble, every troubled thought, F I R S T, along with “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Identify the trouble, specifically, in words, to God, and stop there.
WAIT for God, and do what He has given me to do while waiting—without figuring out or second-guessing His solution.

A major fallacy most of us encounter (in our thinking and in others’ expectations) is praying and trying to take care of it ourselves, or just trying to take care of it ourselves.
We miss the experience of God answering our prayer so He gets all the credit, all the glory, not us.
ALL THE GLORY belongs to Him, and He wants us to say so.
And He gets the most glory when we say it out loud to anyone with us, anyone, every time.
Perhaps now we can fully appreciate and practice the command, the promise, the responsibility of this verse (which I am trying to wear out daily):

THE COMMAND
“Call upon Me in the day of trouble . . .”

THE PROMISE
“. . . I will deliver you . . .”

THE RESPONSIBILITY
“. . . and you will glorify Me.”

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A followup question here:
Why the day of trouble in the first place ?
Answer in footnote.*

– – –

“Nobody knows the trouble I’ve seen;
Nobody knows but Jesus.”

– – –

“There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus,
No, not one ! No, not one !
None else could heal our soul’s diseases,
No, not one ! No, not one !

Jesus knows all about our struggles.
He will guide till the day is done.
There’s not a friend like the lowly Jesus,
No, not one ! No, not one !”

Find over 300 inspiring testimonies on this hymn, many from Nigeria (hotbed of Christian persecution).
Follow this sequence on the internet:

hymnal.net
classic
first lines
J
“Jesus knows all about . . .”
testimonies follow after the lyrics

– – –

“Standing on the promises that cannot fail,
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail;
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.”

*You have to admit, God gets our attention in the day of trouble.
Then He has a question,
“Now that I have your attention—how long will I have your attention?”