It’s overwhelming, isn’t it? There are so many needs surrounding your life, but you don’t always have an answer.
There’s a powerful freedom that comes when you realize this: you don’t have to have all the answers. You don’t have to fix everything. You don’t have to carry the weight of someone else’s challenges or difficulties to the point where it buries you under its pain. That’s not your burden. That’s not your responsibility.
You can point them to Jesus.
This is one of the more powerful applications of Galatians 6:2, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” By opening the Word in prayer with those who come to you for help, you are very much bearing their burden together!
People come with real questions. Deep hurt. Complicated situations. And in ministry, or even just in friendship, it’s easy to feel like you need to say something wise or offer the perfect solution. But sometimes the most faithful response is the simplest: “If you seek the Lord, He will meet you. He will draw near.”
I know it may feel a little dismissive or even evasive, but it’s not. With the right motives, it’s not a way to avoid the pain, but truly an important piece of help to give. It’s actually the most hope-filled thing you can say. Because it’s rooted in the truths throughout the Bible, James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you” (NKJV). That’s a promise. A clear, quiet truth we can lean on. God doesn’t stay distant from those who seek Him. He moves toward them.
Sometimes people just need to be reminded of that. That God is not hiding. That He hasn’t turned away and He still responds to faith, even when it’s small. Jeremiah 29:13 says, “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” That kind of seeking isn’t frantic. It’s honest. It’s steady. It’s real.
When people are hurting or confused, they need a genuine reminder of God’s presence. They need us to be present, to be prayerful, and to quietly say, “You’re not alone. The Lord knows. And He’s not far.”
Ministry isn’t about showing up with solutions. It’s about showing up with faith. It’s about staying steady when others feel overwhelmed, and gently pointing them back to the Lord. Not everything needs to be solved today. But God can still be sought today. And that is enough.
So if someone comes to you this week and you feel unsure of what to say, remember this: You don’t have to say much. You don’t have to solve it. You don’t have to impress. Just remind them of this truth: If you seek Him, He will draw near.
