Skip to main content

Hold On, God's Got You

     Exactly, eighty-four days ago I started 100 Days To Brave by Annie F. Downs, a devotional gifted
to me by an incredibly sweet friend. I know it's been eighty-four days because each day is numbered. which is super nifty, and each day has been so so good. This blog post comes from day fifty-seven in the devotional. It's one of the many days I find myself going back to time and time again. rereading the phrases I highlighted and underlined, looking up the passages of scripture Annie references and the ones I scribbled into the margins myself.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV)
"For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." 

     Man, sometimes I read this verse and I'm like, "Yes Jesus! Everything is temporary and better things are coming." Other days I read this verse and it hurts, it hurts because, Jesus this pain that I'm going through is so much. How can I focus on the things of eternity when I'm drowning. I can barely focus on breathing, let alone on eternity. Focusing in eternity is difficult and sometimes it feels like some sort of impossible mandate that I'm supposed to fulfill in order to be a good Christian. It's not a punishment though, it's something God asks of us because He loves us. Focusing on eternity isn't a punishment, it's another way God gives us hope. Is it difficult? Yeah it is, because life is difficult. Life is  insanely difficult and messy. That's why God wants us to focus on eternity, life may be painful and messy, but eternity. Man, eternity is what we're working for. Eternity is the thing that waits for us at the finish line.

     The most difficult part of focusing onto eternity is simply holding on. Holding on to faith, to God, to joy, to hope, to the knowledge that there's even an ending coming. Depression, abuse, illness, finances, jobs, kids, relationships, school, politics, strife, and just daily life can be a lot to handle. It can be overwhelming. I get it. I've been there. I frequently find myself still there. Sometimes it's easier to give up, to just let go. Cancer, that's really really big. Depression is big. Finances are big. The chaos of every day life is big. Keeping your tiny humans alive is huge! It is all big, it's bigger than us. You know what it's not though? It is not bigger than God. It will never be bigger than God. Even when hoping that you will ever get it together or overcome or be healed seems foolish. God has got you. Friend, God has got you. You just have to hold on. 

     There is no answer to when you're supposed to let go, because I don't believe that we are ever supposed to let go. Not of God. Some days it will be easier to hold on than others. Some days will feel like skipping through a field holding hands with Jesus and some days you are going to be a sobbing wreck clinging to your Father as tightly as you're capable of. Friend, whatever you are going through, whatever you are facing, hold on. I promise you this, hold on to God and he will hold on to you and he will never let go of you. God's got this. God's got you. God will carry you to the eternity that He's asked you to focus on. He is the eternity that's waiting in front of you. Hold on sweet friend, hold on.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Face To Face With Heroes Of The Faith

     Hi Everyone! Can you believe I've been in Thailand almost three weeks? It's been an amazing time or learning and adjusting so far. I am enjoying the immersion in a totally new culture. Being able to experience a new language, food, and practices is stretching and challenging at time and other times it's exciting and fun; often it's a mixture of all four. Even though they don't have a whole lot with this post I'm throwing in random pictures just so you can see what I've been up to with your own eyes.     There are six of us going through a month of training at Impact School of Missions in preparation for various internships across South East Asia. We have classes and training up until the end of the month; in October we all officially move on to our internships! Our month at ISM consists of classes involving classes on the culture, language, effective ways to minister and serve, culture shock/stress, learning about ourselves, and many more. We explore ...
Post a Comment
Read more

The Lost Cause Part

     The name of my blog is Thailand and Other Lost Causes, that probably seems like a strange name to give this blog. Why would you call something you're passionate about, something you want to spend the rest of your life doing, something you want others to support you in a lost cause? It makes no sense...it seems counter productive, it's not I promise.      The idea for the name came from  this blog post  that I wrote almost three years ago while I was an undergrad intern at Honor Academy of The Ozarks. That post was inspired by one of my favorite quotes of all time,      "It's very often that the lost causes are the only causes worth fighting for." - Jimmy Stewart      These words are spoken in the fantastic movie Mr.Smith Goes To Washington by a man by the name of Mr.Smith ( Jimmy Stewart ) who is in Washington D.C. fighting what seems like a losing battle for something he believes in, something he knows is ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Update

Dear Friends and Family,      I want to take the time to thank all of you for the prayer and support I've received as I prepare for my trip to Thailand. You have been a blessing in my life and I appreciate all of you. I am thankful for the opportunities I've been given to come speak to various people and churches and share my heart and vision for this trip.      Thanks to all of you I have been able to purchase my plane ticket and send in part of my money for my training at Impact School of missions. These are very exciting things and I wouldn't have been able to get this far without your help. I have been given the opportunity to work some of the upcoming missions fundraisers being hosted by my church and will be able to receive a small amount of fund through this avenue.      I am still raising money for overseas health insurance, living expenses, the rest of my tuition for Impact School of Missions, and various items such as lugga...
Post a Comment
Read more