This article describes one of many techniques developed by Adventures in Spiritual Living to encourage and support personal spiritual experience. It can be used by individuals or enjoyed as a group activity and sharing.
Description
“Help in the Moment” is our term for asking for help when you are facing a situation in which you need help immediately. It may be a confrontation. It may be that someone has come to you to discuss his or her personal problems. Or it may be a situation in which you feel tempted to behave in ways that fall short of your ideals. Here are several more examples of times when you can ask for help in the moment:
- Dealing with conflict with a family member (especially teenagers).
- Emergency situations when you need help to avoid panic.
- Times when all you can do is ask for rescue.
- Any situation involving anger or fear.
- Going into difficult interpersonal relationships with fellow workers or an employer.
- Times when you need a solution to a practical problem.
Benefits
Asking for help in the moment enables you to bring God into your life as you live it minute by minute. It is a way of enabling God to answer your requests for help to be more patient, more understanding of your fellows, or wiser in making choices. It is a way to discover and do God’s will in that moment. God is a friend and partner on whom you can always depend — not just in the difficult times, but in the good times as well.
How to ask for Help in the Moment
The basic process is this. When you realize that you need help to get you through a situation and especially to control your emotions (fear, anger, panic ,disappointment). You take just a second to ask silently for help. It does not take any time out of a conversation. No one needs to realize what you are doing. You simply ask for help and then return to the situation and listen from the heart − really concentrate on the person you are with. Exercise faith that your divine friend will help you in the situation.
When you practice this technique, be sure to use it in ordinary situations as well as in crises. God wants to be a part of all of your life. You are not imposing.
Results
There are two valuable consequences when you ask for help in the moment:
- You have reminded yourself to be receptive to divine influence.
- You exercise your faith and faith grows stronger.
The help you receive may take many forms. Your anger or fear will probably decrease or disappear. You will probably see the situation differently — more from God’s viewpoint. You may recognize that your own attitude was causing much of the problem. You probably will listen more unselfishly and intently. Insights and new understandings may occur as the situation continues. You will surely realize at some point that you are not thinking or acting so self-centeredly. You may find yourself doing things that you would swear wouldn’t ordinarily occur to you to do or say, but they work out well.
Making a habit of seeking help in the moment invites God to actively participate in your life. You will be helped to be a better person in the moment. Recognizing God’s help is faith building.
Reflections
Asking for help in the moment of need is an effective way to bring God’s will into your everyday life. Think back over your own experiences of God’s help to you in your moments of need. Recognizing and giving thanks for moments like these deepens your friendship with God. We encourage you to take time for this reflection alone or with friends.
Questions for Reflection:
- What situations have you experienced (or can you imagine) in which you have used this technique? What effects have you observed from using the technique?
- In what ways do you receive help?
- Are there times when you think that you do not receive the help you ask for? Look back to see if there are responses you did not recognize before.
- What can you do to improve your use of this technique?
Important Last Thoughts:
- Willingness to do God’s will is essential to this process. God’s help is always going to be consistent with his nature.
- It can be difficult to remember to stop your habitual response and ask for help. Be patient with yourself and be persistent.
- Having a rich and frequent connection with God will increase your ability to tune in to God when you ask for help.
- Recognize roadblocks, problems, irritations, and crises as opportunities for God to help in the moment!
Group experience: If you are fortunate enough to have a group who will share their experiences with each other, discuss beforehand the need to create a safe place for each person to share his or her inner thoughts and feelings without criticism or advice. Here are some suggestions to create a safe place:
- Slow down and relax your bodies and minds.
- Express genuine interest in others.
- Accept their sharing with appreciation.
A leader can present Help In The Moment, or a member can read it aloud. Allow plenty of time for questions, discussion, and sharing of individual experiences with asking for and receiving help in the moment.
