What to Do When You’re Barely Hanging On
On a recent Wednesday, 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 has decades of experience, along with the resulting wisdom of women who have walked faithfully.
I’d like to share with you their responses. Since I don’t want to reveal the hearts of these women without their permission, I made up their names. That way they won’t mind and I know you won’t mind either.
- 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 think about 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. Her children will use those teachings in the everyday struggles and in the really tough ones.
She opens her mouth in wisdom,
And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
Proverbs 31:26
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Thank you for this, Charlene. When I am needing assurance, I turn to God’s Word. It is our only anchor. I love the verse in Isaiah 26:3-4 “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you.” I remind myself that hope is not found in a situation, a place, or a thing….true hope is a person and His name is Jesus. Because of his sacrifice on the cross for me to bring me peace with God, I stand before God and He sees Jesus…His righteousness, not mine. (Philippians 3:9) I can never lose that, (John 10:27-30), and I will live in Heaven with Him forever.
Thank you so much, Cindy, for sharing what helps you hang on.
I asked my son this morning if he had thought about a Confirmation verse yet, as he will be confirmed into the LCMS Lutheran faith this spring. He said, “even though I walk through the valley of death, I shall fear no evil, for you are with me.” from Ps. 23. I was a little surprised he answered so quickly, and that he was thinking of that verse, but the more I think about it, the more appropriate it seems. God is always with us, regardless of the circumstances.
It is wonderful, Lauri, that he so quickly quoted from that wonderfully comforting Psalm.