Panicked

<p>Have you ever been in the kind of situation where you were just screaming out to God, painfully aware that you needed Him with you? Have you ever been hurt or scared, and you needed to feel His presence to keep going?</p><p>.</p><p>Not too long ago, I was working in the kitchen when my finger slipped, and I was in a mess. I was panicking, worrying about how bad the damage was and whether or not I would have to go to the hospital to have my finger fixed.</p><p>.</p><p>I was on the floor, with a towel around my finger, and I was whispering a prayer. “Please God. Please help. Please help, God.” I kept repeating those words, my heart beating fast.</p><p>.</p><p>Eventually, I calmed down. I got things cleaned up and bandaged my finger. Healing took weeks, but it did eventually get better. My finger has a scar on it that reminds me that God was there for me in a difficult time.</p><p>.</p><p>God is there for you, no matter what situation you’re in. He is ready to be there with you when you feel panicked. He wants you to cry out to Him. He is so near, and He has compassion on you. You don’t need to say a fancy prayer—simply reach out to Him. And even if you forget to cry out to God, you can trust that He’s there, always. • Emily Acker</p><p>.</p><p>• One of Jesus’s names is Immanuel, which means “God with us” (Matthew 1:23). Because God loves us so much, He came to earth in human flesh to live among us, to die for us, and to rise from the grave so that we could be with Him forever. Even though Jesus ascended to heaven, He promised His followers, “surely I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). We can reach out to Jesus anytime, and we can be totally honest about how we’re doing. He knows firsthand what it’s like to be human, to be in pain, and to experience hard emotions; He empathizes with us, and He wants to help us (Hebrews 4:14-16). How might knowing these truths make it easier for us to cry out to Him? </p><p>.</p><p>• Can you think of a time you knew God was there for you when you were scared? Consider taking a m