Keep Hanging on When You’re Barely Hanging On
Several years ago, the topic of our morning women’s Bible class was assurance, hope, and faith. At the end of class, our teacher went around the room, asking individual women what they do when they need assurance. Each of these women had decades of experience, along with the resulting wisdom of women who have walked faithfully.
I wrote down their responses and would like to share them with you. I don’t want to reveal the hearts of those women without their permission, so I made up their names.
Margaret said that she clears her mind and takes away the clutter.
Virginia said that she calls her sister Marilyn.
Marilyn said that she calls her sister Virginia. Then she added that she drops back and looks at other folks because there is always someone who has it worse than she does.
Then Virginia said that it helps to find something to do for someone else.
Shirley said that she sings because you can’t be down and out while you’re singing. She also asks her Alexa device to sing, “Mary, Did You Know?”
Patricia said she thinks of Jesus walking on the water.
Ruth, who is almost old enough to be my grandmother, said that she gets on her knees and turns it over to God.
Betty said that she thinks about this verse:
In peace I will both lie down and sleep,
For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.
Psalm 4:8
My own comfort in crisis is remembering what Jesus went through on the Cross. I consider the reality that He didn’t deserve to go through all that, but He had to anyway. That truth gives me strength.
The wise mama teaches her children what to do in the hard times of life. Those teachings will be one of her most lasting gifts.
She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
Proverbs 31:26