“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)
You are my hiding place from every storm of life;
You even keep me from getting into trouble!
You surround me with songs of victory.
Psalm 32:7 (TLB)
Are you weathering a life storm right now? Do you feel that unrelenting difficulties are battering your daily activities, knocking you off course? Has an area of extreme turbulence settled in over your home? Are fierce waves of heartache rolling incessantly?
As a child of God, His protection of you is limitless and takes many forms. During stormy periods in life, He is your hiding place…your storm shelter. He is a refuge that surrounds you and protects you while the crisis rages on around you. He’s the place you run to until the danger has passed over, and He’s there to calm and comfort you, hiding you in the safety of His presence…surrounding you with songs of victory. So if you need protection from a life storm, run to the loving arms of your Heavenly Father. Imagine Him holding you securely, shielding you from harm, and singing songs to calm your anxieties and quiet your fears until the tempestuous difficulties are over. He is your hiding place from every storm of life!
How wonderful are the good things
“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails and the fields produce not food,
though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
YET I WILL REJOICE IN GOD MY SAVIOR.
The sovereign Lord is my strength;
He makes my feet like the feet of the deer, He enables me to go on the heights.”
Habakkuk 3:17 – 19 (NIV)
The verse above describes some very bleak circumstances: starvation, desolation and loss. Perhaps you are experiencing difficult times in your life: Job loss? Financial struggles? Illness? Heartache? Or the loss of a loved one? When everything around you is going wrong and the burdens you face seem to be more than you can bear ~ even when all is lost ~ God is still there!
What should our response be when we experience hardship or trials? Some of us might begin to question why a just God would allow bad things to happen to His children. Why does an all-powerful God ~ who can do anything ~ not prevent tragic events from impacting our lives? We might begin to doubt Him, and our faith might waiver during difficult times. Yet Habakkuk proclaims that even during devastating circumstances, he will still rejoice in his Savior and have faith in God’s ability to strengthen him.
At some point in time, we all experience difficulties in life. Jesus Himself told us, “…In this world you will have trouble…” (John 16:33 NIV) He knew that our lives would not always be easy. But the conclusion of that verse gives up great hope, “…But take heart! I have overcome the world.” So even though the world will bring us trouble, our Savior has overcome the world!
If the circumstances of your life seem to be constantly churning with tumultuous changes, “take heart” and place your hope firmly in the unchanging Lord of your life. Rejoice in this truth: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) Trust in the eternal love, mercy, grace, and goodness of God, and realize that your “faith muscle” is being strengthened during times of adversity. Don’t allow your attitude to be dictated by your circumstances, but rather find joy ~ and your strength to keep going ~ in Jesus Christ. Perhaps God has a better opportunity for you on the other side of this hardship, but you have to have faith in Him to see you through the dark valley. So when your life appears to be crumbling to pieces all around you, rejoice in the fact that Christ is your firm and solid foundation. “He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved.” (Psalm 62:2 NIV)
“Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble,
and he saved them from their distress.
He calmed the storm to a whisper
and stilled the waves.
What a blessing was that stillness
as he brought them safely into harbor!
Let them praise the Lord for his great love
and for the wonderful things he has done for them.
Psalm 107:28 – 31(NLT)
Just imagine the amazing feeling of relief and deliverance when sailing into a peaceful harbor after passing through a dark and tumultuous sea…
The disciples endured a similar experience as they were crossing the Sea of Galilee. Jesus was on board the boat, but He had fallen asleep, seemingly unaware that they were in the midst of a sudden and fierce tempest. High waves were breaking onto the boat, and it began to fill with water. The disciples’ hearts were melting with fear, and they cried out to Jesus for help. “When He awoke, He rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased and there was great calm.” (Mark 4:39) The terrified disciples were struck with awe after witnessing this miracle and asked themselves, “Who is this man?” … “Even the wind and waves obey him!” (Mark 4: 41)
Are you sailing through a tempestuous season in your life’s journey? Your heart may be gripped with overwhelming fear as giant waves of affliction seemingly crash over your head. You are tossed up and down with no ability to control your course. As a child of God, there are no guarantees of smooth sailing throughout life, and sometimes there will be seasons of extreme turbulence. Like the disciples, you may be right in the middle of God’s will, doing exactly what He has instructed you to do, but still you may experience a sudden life storm. In the midst of the turmoil, hold tightly to the promise that Jesus is always right beside you…He’s in your “boat” in the midst of the storm. He stands ready to calm your turbulent circumstances and save you from your extreme distress. Instead of being fearful, trust completely in the One whom the wind and the sea obey. Watch in awe as He guides you into a safe haven, and praise Him for His great love and the wonderful things He does in your behalf. Peace! Be Still!
“This certain hope of being saved is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls, connecting us with God himself…” Hebrews 6:19(TLB)
everyday encouragement 