When There Is Nothing You Can Do

It was the day after Thanksgiving in the United States.

My husband and I had enjoyed the holiday and stayed up late, so the next morning, we slept in and had a late brunch. Then, I crawled back into bed to read and catch up on emails and social media. I was so enjoying the leisurely morning and put off getting dressed and ready for the day. It was getting close to noon when we heard someone banging on our front door. I jumped up and pulled on my bathrobe and slippers while my husband rushed to the front door.

Then he yelled, “Marsha! Call 911!” I grabbed my phone and ran out into the cold rain, where my neighbor across the street was having a medical emergency.

His wife was desperately looking for us to help him.

He lay slumped on the ground in front of their car in the driveway.

He had started having symptoms of a stroke while driving the last quarter mile back home. His wife and my husband wrapped him in a blanket and held another blanket above him to keep out the rain. I kept the phone to my ear, answering questions from the dispatcher and giving directions on what needed to be done.

An ambulance was on the way.

In the meantime, the dispatcher told me I needed to make sure the emergency personnel could clearly see which house we were at.

I walked the short distance down the driveway and into the middle of our street. Our neighborhood looked deserted on the quiet holiday weekend.

There was no traffic, no activity in sight—apart from where we waited.

As I stood in the street in my sopping wet bathrobe, I started to feel impatient and helpless because there was nothing more I could do.

But then I remembered—I could always pray! I started to petition God, asking Him to be with my neighbor, to bring the ambulance safely and quickly, and to help those who would be helping my friend. The more I prayed, the less miserable I felt as the Lord comforted me. I realized that if all I could do was to stand alone in the middle of the street in freezing cold rain while wearing a bathrobe and slippers, I would rather do it while praying.

When it feels like there is nothing you can do, you can pray! God has promised to listen and be near to us when we call on Him.

Marsha Hammond-Brummel