Trusting When You’re Just Not Feeling It

Hang on, friend. Or better yet, fasten your seatbelt. 

Life can be brutal sometimes. There are times it tosses you around, back and forth, waves crashing over your head, leaving you gasping for air. 

Maybe you are in peaceful waters right now – what a blessing! Enjoy it! Gain strength, celebrate, and be grateful to God! There is nothing like kayaking alongside cattails under a thick canopy of trees to put my mind at ease. As a college student, I would pull my car up in front of the majestic Lake Michigan late at night while I cried out to God or praised God alone. Water just calms my soul in those moments.

The Message version of Psalm 23:3 says, “True to Your Word, You let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.” That is exactly what peaceful waters do for me. If you are in those peaceful waters, catch your breath.

Because one thing we know about both life and bodies of water is, they are always changing – sometimes at a moment’s notice and with very little warning.

A doctor appointment, a car accident, a confession, a pregnancy test, a lay-off…

The storm blows in and suddenly your calm waters have been replaced by dark, threatening clouds and giant waves. 

How did this happen? Why is this happening? Where are you, God?

Why is it so often, we go straight to the “Why, God?” Or the “How could you let this happen?” I write this in confession. It wasn’t that long ago that I muttered these words.

It’s in these moments, I have questioned my faith. It’s in these moments I’ve had to ask Jesus to stand in for me – to BE my faith when I had none. Our Savior is Jesus. Faith doesn’t save us, Jesus does. Let our faith be in Jesus, not in our faith.

Faith according to Hebrews 11:1 is, “confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

It’s saying, “even when I don’t see a way Lord, and I don’t understand what is happening or why, I STILL BELIEVE You have me in the palm of Your hands. I still believe Your promises are true to the very end. I don’t need to see it to believe it.” 

Hebrews 6:18-20 is one of my favorite verses, especially at this moment in my life, and reminds me that no matter what storms blow in (no matter how overwhelming), God is my true anchor.

“…so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to HOLD FAST TO THE HOPE set before us. We have this as a SURE AND STEADFAST ANCHOR OF THE SOUL, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf…”

Holding fast to this kind of hope, a divine hope, brings you into the “inner sanctuary” according to these verses – the most intimate of places, filled with God’s holy presence and power. That sounds like a great place to be when you are weak.

Those words, “HOLD FAST,” are so very important, don’t miss those – they are truly life-changing, I believe. Here’s why…

So often, during life’s storms, we try to “hold on,” instead of “hold fast.” But when life is turned upside down, holding on isn’t always possible. Holding on is like grabbing hold of a rope while you’re being drug behind a truck. You’re going to get some pretty nasty bumps and bruises and become mighty exhausted trying to hold on.

You don’t have to get drug behind as life speeds around curves while you desperately try not to let go. Maybe that’s how it feels right now because we are always told, “keep holding on,” as if it was all left up to you.

Let go of that rope, sister. Free your hands. You were created for more than that. You were created to HOLD FAST. 

Several places in scripture we are told to “hold fast.” To hold fast means to “remain tightly secured.” Another definition describes the way a parasite attaches itself to its host. What a perfect illustration of how we are to be to God – so tightly secured that we absorb His unlimited power, love, and might!

Holding on just leaves us weary and exhausted, while holding fast fills us with His strength and power. He is truly our Heavenly Host, but we have to be willing to be the fully dependent parasite – attached and tightly secured.

When we stop trying to hold on, and anchor ourselves to God, our hands are completely FREE.

Free to love, live, praise, and serve. You are truly “letting go and letting God.” It’s not giving up, it’s getting smart and gaining freedom!

I keep coming back to my favorite Sunday School story of Daniel. Daniel 6:23 says,

“So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no kind of harm was found on him, BECAUSE HE HAD TRUSTED IN HIS GOD.”

God was truly his anchor. He believed God is Who He says He is.

Kidnapped, stripped of his identity, and threatened with a brutal death, he held fast. He just kept praying and trusting. And because he trusted, lions couldn’t even touch him. Goodness, this story would have had a much different ending if he hadn’t trusted (certainly not Sunday school felt-board worthy)!

How do we respond when the lions close in on us? How long can we withstand their growling and snarling?

It depends on if we are holding on or holding fast. Believe that even when the lions are right there in front of you and closing in, God STILL has it. Hold fast. Anchor yourself to Him, the only One who provides the kind of hope that can see you through absolutely anything.

Let your story say, “Because she trusted in her God…”

Here is a list of promises to print, read, put on your fridge, and memorize so that you can remind yourself of His great promises for you and stay ANCHORED.