The Best Guy on Your Worst Day

Do you have one? That person who can inspire you and others even on those bad days we all have? When you are struggling, who comes besides you with that gift of encouragement and insight? Who brings the comfort of God with biblical wisdom and not platitudes?

John 14:16-17 tells us we have been given the Holy Spirit as our internal encourager. And the Holy Spirit has no problem including others to also come beside us, an example would be Barnabas. He was called the son of encouragement or consolation (Acts 4:36-37).

This is how I see a person like Dr. Charles Page come in. God has gifted him as a surgeon and a storyteller with great insight. He connects experiences of his patients with biblical truths that can be applied to help them and others.

I don’t think my interview with Dr. Page was by chance because a couple of weeks after the interview, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. As I went through a myriad of emotions, I found great comfort in his interview and recent book, A Spoonful of Courage. In particular, the section titled “Invite God to Use Your Circumstances” he says:

“No matter what we are going through, Gods already centered in our situations, ready to show His power and faithfulness. Our affliction can become His greatest platform.” (page 117)

So often, I forget that God is already centered in my situation. He’s there and ready to go. Yet I struggle to try and resolve it myself.

Recently, I heard the concept of being a “prayer hog.” Be willing to invite any interested party to pray for you. I took this to heart because I didn’t want to take the cancer on just by myself or only with my family. As a result, I have been blessed with numerous supporters and prayer warriors and successful treatment looks very promising.

Encouragement, comfort, support, we all need it. Many of us men resist it or feel we are being selfish if we ask for it. We’re not. We are being dependent on God, our church and friends and even people we don’t know well or don’t know at all. This inter-dependence on one another is a key in the Christian life.

But to start, as Dr. Page says, Invite God to use your circumstances. After all, God’s already centered in your circumstances. Then, allow friends and family in as well to be great encouragers like Dr. Page.