Helpless (01/15/2026)

She feels old, not just elderly. She’s lost her husband, two children, her home and most of her possessions. She has lost control over most of her life with someone else making the choices we take for granted like what we will eat that day. She doesn’t laugh anymore. Most of the time she sleeps. She feels helpless. And as I sit beside her, I feel helpless, too.

He worked his whole life for those years when he would have enough savings to go where he wanted when he wanted. And he had places to go and cars he’d restored to drive there. And then in an instant everything changed. He suffered a stroke and while the hospital was testing to determine the extent of the damage from the stroke, they found he had tumors on his pancreas, spleen, and liver. And the doctor that came to his room was talking about cancer and quality of life in the time he had. He feels helpless. And as I sit beside him, I feel helpless, too.

I recognize the look in their eyes. I have had that same look many times myself. My heart and my love go out to them. And I do the only thing I know to do. I sit with them. I don’t have the power to change things. But I don’t want them to face this feeling alone. And I reach into my pocket and finger my pocket cross to remind me that even in those times when I feel helpless, I am not alone. He is with me. He promised me that; He promised us all that. And He is trustworthy. And I remember what I have learned on this journey; “helpless” is not the same as hopelessness.

Helpless is a horrible feeling to hold. It’s a time when we ultimately must acknowledge what we have always known; we are not in charge. When we find ourselves there the only road out is prayer uttered in faith, with hope holding us up, and hopefully love filling the void. In times like this, when we don’t have answers, we must rely on what we do have: faith, hope and love and the greatest is love.

Many if not most of us will find ourselves beside another who is struggling and we not only recognize their sense of helplessness, we share it. But with love for this person as well as love for the LORD, we can accompany the other lovingly. And to those without faith, hope and love, it may appear useless, but we know better. We know that love is never wasted nor useless. We know well the helpless appearance of Good Friday; but we also know well the joy of Easter. And it all played out through love.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.