Overcoming Trials

3 Ways to Cling 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, frayed edges hanging grey and frozen over icy water.  Sometime in the thickest part 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: Cling to God, and when you reach the end of your rope, you’ll find he was the one holding onto you the whole time.

Cling 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 Click To Tweet

It’s not easy to cling 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 never lets go of you.

We’ll all face icy patches in life.

We’ll have a hard time holding onto God.

And that’s when we’ll discover it: Underneath are the everlasting arms of our Savior.

Learning to Cling to God

Let’s look at a few powerful truths about learning to cling to 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. Cling to God by fixing your eyes on what is eternal.

This world will tell you this is all there is.  You will forget that the transition from life in the body to life in the spirit is just that: a transition.  You will forget that there are battles taking place in heavenly realms all around you.

Don’t lose sight of the eternal picture.

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 cling to God when you remind yourself that he is eternal, and he will one day wipe away all tears.

3. Cling 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, but it also made me feel precious, important, and covered.

As children of God, we are precious, important, and covered.  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.

Cling 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, important, and covered. When we live out of this identity, we have nothing to prove to anyone. #childofGod #identityinChrist Click To Tweet

More 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 Cling to God:

Are you in the middle of a difficult season?  I have a free gift for you today.  My 20-day devotional Glimpses of Hope for When Life Lets You Down will help lift your head.  You will find 20 daily readings, Bible verses, and more.  This online devotional will help you heal in God’s presence.  It’s yours right here.

Two Books for Connecting With God Like Never Before:

Lastly, I am passionate about ministering to adults and reaching the next generation.

If you enjoyed visiting today, I invite you to check out my print books.  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 right here.  This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!

Calling All Moms and Daughters!

Additionally, my 12-year-old daughter, Bekah, and I wrote a mother-daughter devotional book to help mothers and daughters grow closer together while connecting with God.  Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith includes 60 devotions with Scripture, commentaries from both of us, conversation starters, and even a shared journaling section.  Multitudes of mothers, daughters, mentors, and younger women are being transformed by this book!  You can buy your paperback or eBook on Amazon right here.

 

I’m passionate about equipping others to encounter God in powerful and life-changing ways. When I’m not writing, you’ll find me hiking, jogging, exploring wild places with my three young children and husband, leading small groups, and mentoring younger women. A certified special education teacher, I am on leave from the classroom for a season of chasing frogs and playing in creeks with my little ones. Most of all, the compassionate love of Jesus has forever ravished my heart, and I'm emphatic about making his love known to the world.