Barely Hanging On
- The Narrow Path
- Jan 27, 2023
- 2 min read
My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me (Psalm 63:8, ESV).
If you know me very well at all, you know I’m a snacker. I tend to munch throughout the day, sometimes to the point of not actually eating a full meal. I get this honest, though. My Mom is the same way.
This is especially true when I’m at work. Most days I start to look for a snack around 10:00am to tide me over until my lunch break. We have a community table in the kitchen at the office where everything is considered fair game. Bananas, doughnuts, chips, almonds, protein bars and cookie cake just to name a few. It gets especially out of control, in a good way, around Christmastime when patients bring us lots of goodies!
One day recently, I walked into the kitchen to see what I could find. A co-worker followed me in as he was headed to the espresso machine to get a shot of caffeine. After we chatted for a minute, I reached out to grab some almonds and I nearly dropped the bag as the “tear across” piece was barely hanging on.
I looked at him and said, “That’s how I feel some days! Like I’m hanging on by a thread.” We acknowledged the truth, laughed about it and went on with our day. However, I paused to snap a quick picture of the bag as a reminder of the moment.
Do you ever, and maybe more often than you’d like, find yourself feeling this way? Life is hard. Some days we truly are just barely hanging on. Work stress, sickness, young kids who don’t sleep well, challenging family members. Insert your struggle here.
On the days, weeks, or even months, when we feel like our life is a daily struggle of just barely hanging on, we can remember the words from Psalm 63:8: My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.
Often the best thing we can do when we’re feeling worn out, weary, and overwhelmed is to remind ourselves to cling to Jesus. His truth, His love, His mercy, and His grace are sustaining forces in my life. That same offer is on the table for anyone who believes in and enters into a personal relationship with Jesus.
Having a relationship with Jesus doesn’t mean you won’t have days that leave you feeling like you’re barely hanging on. It doesn’t mean that all your worries, troubles and fears will suddenly melt away. What it does mean is that we can lean into the promise from the second line of Psalm 63:8 that His right hand will uphold us.
There are days where I feel just like that bag of almonds. One more comment, one more cry, one more moment of chaos is all it will take to tear away the last thread. However, when I remind myself to cling to Jesus in all of my circumstances, He will do as He promised and uphold me with his right hand.
He wants to do the same for you, too. Take a moment today to share what’s on your heart. Tell Him what has you barely hanging on and allow Him to sustain you in the struggles.
Comments