“The Eternal God is your shelter; He holds you up in His everlasting arms.”
Deuteronomy 33:27a (VOICE)
Just Be Held ~ A beautiful message to remind us that God will never let go, no matter what.
“Your world’s not falling apart, it’s falling into place. Not a tear is wasted, in time you’ll understand. He’s painting beauty from the ashes; Your life is in HIS hands.” ~ Just be held. (Casting Crowns)
“He reached down and drew me from the deep, dark hole where I was stranded, mired in the muck and the clay.
With a gentle hand, He pulled me out to set me down safely on a warm rock;
He held me until I was steady enough to continue the journey again.”
Psalm 40:2 (VOICE)
Have you ever been so low that “up” is the only way out? If you find yourself in a situation like that today, remember that God is the ROCK in your bedrock. No matter how deeply mired you are in life’s muck and the clay, He is right there beside you ~ ready to take your hand in His and lift you to higher ground. He sees each teardrop that streams down your cheeks and hears your cries for help. His love is greater than anything you are going through.
So go ahead and reach out to God’s gentle grasp. He will pull you out of that dark hole where you find yourself stranded, and set you down safely on a firm foundation. He will hold you there, wrapped in His divine embrace, until you are steady enough to continue on your journey again. In your weakness, He will be your strength.
Take comfort in knowing that He is the Rock at the bottom of your pit!
“The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Savior; my God is my Rock in whom I find protection. He is my Shield, the Power that saves me, and my Place of Safety.” Psalm 18:2 (NLT)
Go in confidence and grace—no rushing, no frantic escape.
There’s no need to be anxious—the Eternal One goes before and behind you.
The God of Israel paves the way with assurance and strength.
He watches your back.
Isaiah 52:12 (VOICE)
“Our yesterdays present irreparable things to us; it is true that we have lost opportunities which will never return, but God can transform this destructive anxiety into a constructive thoughtfulness for the future. Let the past sleep, but let it sleep on the bosom of Christ. Leave the Irreparable Past in His hands, and step out into the Irresistible Future with Him.” (Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest (1956). Section “December 31”).
God is the God of your yesterdays, your todays, and your tomorrows. Often memories of the past keep you from fully experiencing God’s grace and joy for today. It’s possible that you are longing for days gone by because they were happier times (the good ‘ole days), or it could be that you are wallowing in the junkyard of past memories, allowing the blunders of the past to overshadow God’s blessing for today. In either case, you are stuck in the quicksand of yesterday, and you can’t move into the future that God has in store.
Just remember, that God’s got your back! He’s your rear guard, and His hand can reach back into your past and settle any claims against your conscience. He can use yesterday’s mistakes and turn them into today’s ministry of growth for your future. He has a grand plan for your life, so let the past rest in God’s sweet embrace. He’s paving the way ahead with assurance and strength, so step confidently into your irresistible future with Him! “And He will be leading you. He’ll be with you, and He’ll never fail you or abandon you. So don’t be afraid!” Deuteronomy 31:8 (VOICE)
“I think you ought to know, dear brothers, about the hard time we went through…We were really crushed and overwhelmed, and feared we would never live through it. We felt we were doomed to die and saw how powerless we were to help ourselves; but that was good, for then we put everything into the hands of God, who alone could save us, for he can even raise the dead. And he did help us and saved us from a terrible death; yes, and we expect him to do it again and again.” 2 Corinthians 1:8 – 10 (TLB)
Have you ever been in a perilous situation where you felt “crushed and overwhelmed,” where the circumstances were so dire that you feared you might not live through it, and you were powerless to help yourself? It’s these types of extreme difficulties that drive us to our knees…because we have no where else to go. At some point we come to the end of ourselves, and we have nothing left to cling to except God Himself. During severe trials, our faith is stretched beyond the limits, and it emerges on the other side of the hardship much stronger and deeper than ever before. When we experience such extraordinary suffering, we learn to rely not on our own strength or abilities for deliverance, but only on God. We learn to set our hope on Him alone and trust that the One who raised the dead can surely save us too!
It is our precious Savior who says, “Let not your hearts be troubled.” He graciously speaks peace into troubled souls, calms our raging fears, comforts with His tender mercies, binds up the broken-hearted, heals the most painful wounds, strengthens the weak, and provides hope and joy during the heaviest of sorrows. We must learn to put everything in the capable hands of our Heavenly Father who loves us and who alone can save us.
“So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
For I am the Lord your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;”
I will help you.
Isaiah 41:11;13
My Precious Child,
No matter what you are facing, don’t be afraid or intimidated. Don’t be discouraged or dismayed. As you walk through the “wilderness” of the world, there’s no need to fear because I’m your God, your Heavenly Father, and I’m always watching over you. Don’t panic.
I’m the Friend who will never leave you alone or forget about you. I’m right here by your side. When you feel too weak to go on, I will give you the strength you need to endure. I will help you through this. I will hold you up and support you. I won’t let you fall. I will hold your hand with My firm grip. I’m not letting go!
Believe in My promises to you. You have nothing to fear.
Love, your Heavenly Father
Trust that God is big enough to supply anything you need: comfort when you’re in pain or grieving, healing when you are sick, safety when you face danger, compassion when are heart-broken, friendship when you are lonely, support when you are weak, courage when you are fearful, provision when you are in need, and never-ending, limitless love and grace to all.
Say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, do not fear:
Your God will come,
…He will come to save you.”
Isaiah 35:4 (NIV)
What are you afraid of today? Is it fear of the future, fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of death, fear of enemies, fear of pain, fear of judgment, fear of financial ruin, fear of abandonment, or even fear of the unknown?” Fear can be debilitating and paralyzing. When you are fearful, you stand frozen in your tracks, afraid to make a move lest you cause your deepest, darkest fears to materialize before your eyes. You feel that if ___________________ happens (fill in the blank), then you will certainly _____________________(fill in the blank).
In the face of uncertainty, a yearning for your most basic needs begins to bubble up to the surface: security, peace, hope, love, and acceptance. You spend your time and energy worrying about your circumstances ~ longing for peace of mind ~ and you never move forward in your life. Ultimately, if you are fearful about something, you doubt that God is big enough to handle your unique situation. God’s word tells us not to fear, but rather to trust in Him, and believe that all things are possible with Him.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41: 9 – 11
The divine neutralizer of fear is trust in God. When you place all of your uncertainties, inadequacies, and apprehensions before Him, the heavy chains of fear begin to dissolve. Allow God to pierce through and deal with the insecurities of your fearful heart. Tell Him about your most private fears and place them all in His capable hands. With the assurances of God’s promises, you can have a heavenly peace of mind that transcends all understanding. A fearful heart will no longer hold you captive, because God will replace your fear with courage and strength. With God on your side, you can have courage in the midst of your crisis.
“Don’t be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with Thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6 (NIV)“Nothing on earth is its equal – a creature without fear.” Job 41:33
In His hands are the depths of the earth
and the mountain peaks belong to Him.
The sea is His for He made it,
and His hands formed the dry land.
Psalm 95:4 – 5
God is magnificent; there are no boundaries to His greatness. No one can fathom the magnitude of His understanding, and He alone is worthy of our praise and worship. He holds the deepest caverns and darkest valleys in His hands, as well as the highest mountain peaks. He scooped out the great depths of the ocean floor and sculpted all the impressive land formations.
So if it seems like you are facing a mountain of insurmountable problems or trudging through a deep valley of difficulties, remember that you are being held in the capable hands of your Heavenly Father. No difficulty you face is too big for Him, and no valley you walk is too low for Him to reach. Hand everything over to the One who is big enough to handle anything.
“This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord…” 2 Kings 3:18a
“Ah, Sovereign Lord,you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm.
Nothing is too hard for you.” Jeremiah 32:17
Your path led through the sea,
Your way through the mighty waters
though Your footprints were not seen.
Psalm 77:19 (NIV)
Maybe you don’t have an army chasing you like the Israelites did after Moses led them out of Egypt, but you may find yourself ensnared by a situation in which you feel hopelessly trapped. Perhaps you feel that your back is against the wall, and it is impossible to escape from your circumstances.
When the Israelites were cornered against the Red Sea, they were terrified and felt doomed. Moses calmed their fears with these words, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today…The Lord will fight for you, you need only to be still.” (Exodus 14:13a, 14)
If you feel doomed by your circumstances and see no possible means of escape, pray and ask God to intervene on your behalf. The same powerful Hand that parted the sea for the Israelites can provide a pathway out of your trouble. Don’t be afraid; don’t panic. God can open up a way out for you. Simply stand firm in your faith and watch the deliverance God will bring you. Follow His unseen footprints…
“But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.” Exodus 14:29
everyday encouragement 