Lean On Him

For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, “Fear not, I am the one who helps you.”

Isaiah 41:13 esv

When we have reached the point of desperation, how do we respond? Our hearts might start to race. Our thoughts escape. We feel confused, scared, and just want relief. We can be tempted to ignore everything we know about God’s Word and God’s proven history of always being with us.

In moments such as these, we are called to rely on God and have faith that he is our sufficiency. In fact, it’s good to constantly remind ourselves that we are totally dependent on God for all our moments.

Why is being mindful of God’s sufficiency so vital? First, God is the one who meets our daily needs, and we sometimes have a tendency to forget that. Second, we will reach a point (if we haven’t already) when we realize we don’t have what we need—and we have no way to attain it in our own strength. If we have not developed the habit of trusting that God provides for us and meets us where we are, we will not suddenly remember the calm assurance that God is the source of our strength, that he is our everything, in moments of desperation.

God doesn’t reveal his full plan to us. If he did, we would be prone to avoid it. We might start to manipulate situations to circumvent the difficult times. We might be tempted to try to take control of our destinies, relying on ourselves so that we never have to depend on anyone else.

God only gives us today. Not even that—he gives us this moment. And whether the moment we’re in is good or bad, we are depending on God. The same God who allows the blessings also allows the blessings in disguise. And this same God is holding our hand and helping us every moment.

God uses chronic pain and weakness, along with other afflictions, as his chisel for sculpting our lives. Felt weakness deepens dependence on Christ for strength each day. The weaker we feel, the harder we lean. And the harder we lean, the stronger we grow spiritually, even while our bodies waste away.

J. I. Packer

God’s strength in your weakness is his presence in your life.

Andy Stanley

God will always be there with us and give us the strength to meet the difficulties of life.

Wendell E. Mettey

For Further Reflection

Jeremiah 17:7–9; Isaiah 26:4; 2 Corinthians 4:16–18

Today’s Prayer

God, I confess, when I am hurting and weak, I look to other things to support me. However, you stand ready to support me in ways that no one and nothing else can. When times are tough, please remind me you are my rock. Amen.