When you are hanging on by a thread
What are you about to lose if something or someone doesn’t change?
- Marriage?
- Job?
- Wayward child?
- Aging parent?
- Freedom?
- Health?
- Faith?
- Hope?
- Life?
HANG ON
Trying to keep faith. Wanting to believe God is enough. Praying gut-wrenching prayers and claiming all the verses promising results. It’s tiresome.
I don’t have a problem believing. The waiting, oh the waiting, is the hard part.
Believing isn't hard, waiting is #faith #believe Click To TweetRomans 8:24-25, “For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. ” NIV
THE END OF THE ROPE
Really, it is the not the end of the rope, it is the end of self. How will I know God is enough unless He is all I have? Perhaps that is precisely why it’s necessary to lose our lives in order to save them. Because of my insufficiency, I see His sufficiency more clearly.
Often I pray, “Be with me God.” Everything else is loss. Knowing God and His presence makes everything else seem like garbage. Everything. His love really is better than life.
So it’s worth this hanging on.
Hanging on for dear life.
Hanging by a thread.
Philippians 3:8, “Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ.” ESV
SCARLET THREAD
A strand of three cords is not easily broken. So hold tight to your marriage, fight for your kid, cradle your parent’s hand gently, struggle for your sobriety with everything in you, push for your health and never give up hope, faith or life.
When you can’t hold on anymore, reach for the hand with a firm grip and let Him hold onto you.
When you can't hang on to Jesus, let Him hold on to you. #faith #rtp Click To TweetHold it all together
Everybody needs you strong
But life hits you out of nowhere
And barely leaves you holding onSo when you’re on your knees and answers seem so far away
You’re not alone, stop holding on and just be held
Your worlds not falling apart, its falling into place
I’m on the throne, stop holding on and just be held
Just be held, just be held ~ Casting Crowns
Psalm 63: 8, “I hold on to you for dear life, and you hold me steady as a post.” MSG
CLINGING TO HOPE
The effort to hold what is dear is a paradox. Holding on with both hands doesn’t leave a free hand to hold onto Christ. So holding actually requires letting go. Be assured, He will hold on to you. His arm is strong and mighty.
Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” ESV
HE OFFERS PEACE IN THE STORM
The boys in the furnace found it.
Daniel 3:17, “The God we serve is able to deliver us….But even if He doesn’t…” NIV
Job found it.
Job 13:15, “Even if He kills me, I will hope in Him” HCSB
I found it.
2 Corinthians 12:7,9, “I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness” MSG
Can you?
FOOL PROOF SECRET TO SUCCESS
There is a secret. A prayer that never fails.
Not the turmoil prayer. You know, the one that goes something like,
“Please God do such and such or please don’t let this or that happen.”
Admit it, we all pray them. It’s a tug-of-war: my way vs God’s way. Problem is, I don’t know the end of the story.
He does.
Want peace?
Pray this,
“Whatever Lord.”
That’s it. Works every time. Perfect peace trusting His perfect heart and His perfect plan. It’s fool proof. Thy will be done. Wait, do not misunderstand. This is the hardest prayer you will ever pray. You will come away bruised and bloody. When Jacob wrestled with God, he limped away with a dislocated hip.
He will wound you…
Hosea 6:1, “Come, let us return to the Lord. For He has torn us, and He will heal us; He has wounded us, and He will bind up our wounds.” HCSB
But you don’t know the end of the story…
You never know who is hanging on by a thread. I’d love for you to share this.
Wonderful post. So very true. Thanks for writing to us.
Ah but I write to me
This is a beautiful and very encouraging post. There are people close to me who are struggling, and they often ask me “HOW do I just let go and give this to God?” They are looking for a practical “do this and you will get this” process. I don’t have the answer. I mean, how do you tell someone how to be held? I understand it in my heart, not my head. I just found your blog through Titus 2 Tuesday and I am glad I did. I’ve started following you and look forward to reading more of your words. 🙂
Thanks so much. Look forward to checking out your blog as well. My goal is to live in such a way that others will want what I have. Sometimes beyond that, they have to find it for themselves. Blessings
I understand you write looking back on your experiences, needs, trepidations but as you have said before we ALL go through the same things. This blog on struggling seemed it was written just for me and as I read it thought about my friend and realized it was written just for her also so I emailed it to her. Very powerful message, thank you.
Thanks for sharing
What a great prayer, Vickie, whatever, Lord!
Love this post.
I found you today on Moments of Hope. I shared your post on Twitter.
Hope you have a blessed day~
Melanie
Thanks for sharing. I write what I need to hear
AMEN! Amen. Amen. His plan is perfect, and it will always work out for good; that is SO reassuring when the way seems really foggy. I am thankful that His grip on us never never lets go.
Me too. I wrote that a while back, but sometimes I have to go back and read my own words
Beautiful post, Vickie! Holding on means letting go, too. – Wow and Amen! Such a poignant truth. Thank you, friend, for sharing hope at #MomentsofHope! I appreciate you!
Blessings and smiles,
Lori
Thanks so much. I needed to read it myself
So true. I wasted a year of prayers praying for the wrong thing. What I wanted and earnestly prayed for was a situation change. After a year I felt the Holy Spirit nudge me and say, what if the situation changes but there is no heart change, will it really matter? Wow talk about a humbling moment. I was more worried about my discomfort than a loved one’s heart. It sure changed my heart and ya know what, God is changing the loved one’s heart too.
Ooooooh this is so good but so hard. Lord may it be