3 Ways to Hold on to God When You’re at the End of Your Rope
Someone tied a ragged rope swing over the creek last summer. I walked by that rope all winter, its frayed edges hanging grey and frozen over icy water. Sometime in the middle of those long winter months, the old rope started to remind me of the truth I needed when the sun hid its face for weeks on end: Sometimes you have to reach the end of your rope and lose your grip before you realize God was holding onto you the whole time.
Hold on to God, and when you reach the end of your rope, you’ll find he was the one holding onto you the whole time. #clingtoGod #Godshand #Godslove Share on XIt’s not easy to hold on to God when your life falls apart and your grip loosens. But maybe the best news of all is this: You might lose your grip on God, but he will never let go of you.
We’ll have a hard time clinging to God.
And that’s when we’ll discover it: Underneath are the everlasting arms of our Savior.
Learning to Hold on to God
Let’s look at a few powerful truths about learning to hold onto God and what happens when we lose our grip.
1. Remember that even if the worst-case scenario becomes reality, God is still with you.
If you are barely holding on in life, remember that God is still with you. He is your hope. He holds onto you.
Are you fearful of how life is going to turn out in the near future?
Go ahead and imagine the worst-case scenario. Then, stand on this truth: God will walk with you through the darkest seasons. He will carry you.
His grip on you is much stronger than your ability to cling to him.
2. Hold on to God by fixing your eyes on what is eternal.
Don’t lose sight of the eternal picture.
There are battles taking place in heavenly realms all around you.
Sometimes, my children ask me what will happen one day when one of us goes to heaven. They want to know how we could ever survive on the earth without each other. In these moments, I paraphrase the words of Billy Graham and remind them that our future together is much longer than the past we have shared.
Life can feel long and difficult, but eternity is forever, and for the follower of Christ, beautiful. Let’s not forget this truth. You hold on to God when you remind yourself that he is eternal, and he will one day wipe away all tears.
3. Hold on to God by living out of your identity as his beloved child.
My dad spent his career as a high school teacher. He also sponsored a large conservation club dedicated to wildlife preservation and natural resource management. Every year his club hosted a large sportsman’s show for the community. Thousands of locals attended.
Every year, I overflowed with pride as I walked through the crowded hallways, perused the vendors, and sat in the crowded auditorium to listen to speakers.
I was Bob Miles’s daughter.
I didn’t have to pay to get through the doors because I was the beloved daughter of the man in charge. I had behind-the-scenes access to every part of the building because I was Bob Miles’s daughter. My identity earned me special rights; it also made me feel precious and important.
As children of God, we are precious and important. When we live out of this identity, we have nothing to prove to anyone. When we live out of this identity, we can love freely, without trying to earn the approval of others. We can walk freely, without trying to earn our worth or impress.
Hold on to God by remembering that above all else, you are his, and nothing can ever take his love away from you.
As children of God, we are precious and important. When we live out of this identity, we have nothing to prove to anyone. #childofGod #identityinChrist Share on XMore than all of this, we can lean back and rest in the embrace of the One who holds us – even when our hands are too weak to cling to him.
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Does it feel too hard to keep clinging to God? Don’t lose heart. He is holding onto you with a grip that won’t let go.
A Free Devotional for When You Feel Too Weak to Hold on to God:
Are you in the middle of a difficult season? I have a free gift for you today. My online devotional Glimpses of Hope for When Life Lets You Down will help lift your head. You will find daily readings, Bible verses, and more. This online devotional will help you heal in God’s presence. It’s yours right here.
Calling all moms and daughters—and parents of boys!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 14, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or grandparents to read with the children they care about.
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength is for boys ages 5-13. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to courageously carry God’s love into the world. Written with input from our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven, this book will help the boys you care about find courage and strength in God. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Devotionals for Girls
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
All three books are available in print and eBook form here on Amazon. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here. (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
