If you can’t be inspired by a quote from “Cool Hand Luke,” you must be dead.

I debated the title for a bit this morning.  Should I call it “fear” or “depression”.  Neither seemed right.  What is true when we face fear, depression, frustration, defeat is that we are not communicating.

The cascade works like this:  We encounter a stress, a negative event of some kind and are forced to respond in some manner.  The typical response to an unknown, particularly one that comes as some sort of threat, is fear.  Our outward reaction may include lashing out, verbally or physically.  We may weep or become defensive.  These are the extremes of course.  We may show no outward response at all.  This can be worse for if we have no ability to respond, no freedom to express we will internalize the event.  Anger and fear turned inward cause frustration and depression.  And if event happens on top of event we can have a deterioration that has truly horrible ramifications.

I am talking scientifically about something that is so damaging to ourselves and those we love.  But we have a hope.  Peter said to, “Cast all your cares on Him, because He cares for you.”  I take that to mean that my God has big enough shoulders to carry my problems.  He is my Dad enough to listen to everything that I bring to Him.  Even if I say it wrong, He still hears my heart.  If I’m disrespectful to Him, He is able to correct me but still handle my fears.  If I rant and rave, He is able to perceive my intent through all the noise.

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not advocating spittin’ and cussin’ at the God who spoke stars into being.  That’s just stupid.  What I’m saying is, He knows you (and me) even though we are stupid.  He sees past our flesh, our willful, sinful nature to the precious child He created.

So talk to Him.

I meant now.

Stop reading and go talk to Him.

Sheesh!