God will give strength to keep fighting

“God can make something out of nothing. He can make a miracle out of a mess.”

Is there a lot on your mind these days?

Do you feel as though you’re at the end of your rope? Are you losing all hope?

There is a passage in the Bible that tells us about a poor, widowed woman. With a broken heart, this widow was destitute. Her husband died, and he left her in severe financial ruin. She had no money, and she was faced with disaster. To make matters worse, the creditors were demanding payment and threatening to take the widow’s two sons as slaves in compensation for her husband’s debt.

She lost her husband. Now, the widow was about to lose her sons. And the widow was over her head in debt. How do you prepare for an uncertain future?

In her pain, looking at her situation, the widow didn’t know where to turn or what to do.

I can imagine she felt defeated, fearful, overwhelmed, and maybe even a little angry at how her life had played out. Her world turned dark. Her dreams were shattered. There was no way out. She was at the end of her rope.

What do you do when you seem to have nothing left? Where do you turn when you seem to have no apparent options?

So the widow did the only thing she knew she could do… she first turned to God. She didn’t try to fix her problems on her own. The widow needed a miracle; and even though she didn’t understand why these things had happened to her, she believed that God would help her.

Then, she cried out to Elisha, who was God’s prophet, and told him her desperate plight.

“Elisha replied to her, ‘How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?’”

‘“Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil”’ (2 Kings 2 NIV).

The widow turned her attention off of what she had lost and what she didn’t have; but turned her attention on what she had left. Next, Elisha asked her to do something unusual.

“Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side”

(2 Kings 3, 4 NIV).

The widow didn’t know why she was being asked to go from door to door asking her neighbors to borrow empty jars. God can bring us miracles, but we first must be willing do our part. So, in obedience, she followed Elisha’s directions.

Thereafter, her sons brought all the jars to her that they had collected. She took out her small jar of oil and she began to pour. One, two, three, jar after jar, the widow kept on pouring the olive oil into each container. Miraculously, it kept flowing, and she was given enough oil to fill each one.

Afterwards, Elisha informed the widow that she was able to sell the olive oil to solve her financial difficulties and there would be enough money left over for her and her sons to live. God gave her more than the bare necessities that she needed, pouring out His grace and provision in their lives.

As this story reveals, just as God took care of this widow, He will take care of you. The widow began that day with nothing. Yet, God stepped in and when the day ended, the widow had all that she needed. Hence, don’t give in to hopelessness for what you are facing today. God can make something out of nothing. He can make a miracle out of a mess.

Thus, through tears and all frustrations, whatever state you find yourself in, pray and ask God for help. Take a step back and breathe for a moment. Don’t allow inner anxiety and turmoil to dominate your life. You can be healed from the hurts of the past. Do not allow regrets or disappointments dissuade you to the point where you are paralyzed by fear and worries, and you get stuck looking backwards. Make peace with yourself and your past choices. For God is saying to you today, “Get beyond it.”

God will give you the strength to keep fighting. And He will amaze you with what He can do with your situation.

Maybe it looks like the odds are against you. Persist and think upon only the things you want to see reflected in your life. God will give you the strength to keep fighting.

Possibly, obstacles have held you back from succeeding. Be determined to press through difficult circumstances. God will give you the strength to keep fighting.

Or, you might be in need of hope and healing. Health and happiness is just ahead. For God will give you the strength to keep fighting.

A while ago, I heard about a man who was holding a rope to an airship to keep it from floating away. Suddenly, a gust of wind caught one end of the airship and lifted it, along with the man, high off the ground. The man was suspended in the air for an hour until he was rescued.

Later, a reporter asked the man, “How were you able to hold on to the rope for so long.” Confidently, the man replied, “I didn’t hold on to the rope.” There was a stunned look on the reporters face as the man continued, “I just tied it around my waist, and the rope held on to me.”

There are people reading this column today who are worried, anxious and afraid; living with uncertainty.

So what do you do if you find yourself at the end of your rope? Know that God is holding on to you. Don’t give up. Do not let go. Cling to hope. And look to and depend upon God.

Trust God; talk to Him. When you fix your thoughts on God; God fixes your thoughts and your future. He can help you solve any problem. Just put your faith in Him, and He will show you the way.