Wilderness wandering can suck the life right out of us.
Each step feels heavy and stiff.
We long to move on from this place.
Where is the beautiful vista that we’ve been told lies ahead?
It always feels tantalisingly out of reach.
Too much life happening at once reduces us to weak-kneed walkers.
How in the world do we keep going when circumstances make us want to sink into sand, droop with defeat, expire with exhaustion and throw in the towel?
When the going gets tough, the tough get going….either to a place of darkness and despair or….back to what we know can strengthen and sustain, lift and bring life into wobbly legs and discouraged hearts.
Yet, here we are:
Weighed down with burdens we’re not built to carry.
Struggling to make sense of things we cannot understand.
Losing sight of all that’s good, pure and lovely.
Lost in mud and mire.
Left out and left hanging.
Made miserable beyond words.
Dejected. Despairing. Defeated.
But God…
His compassion encompasses us at all times.
He stands ready to lift the burdens from our backs.
He has arms wide open to embrace His weary child.
He sees the end from the beginning and knows breakthrough is close at hand.
He longs to pour His purpose into our plans.
He desires to support us with His strength.
He loves us beyond our comprehension and far too much to leave us struggling alone.
His grace is sufficient and always enough for every need.
His mercies are new every morning.
Knowing these things, our best course of action is to take a tough, prayerful stand of faith against the enemy, ‘get going’ back to resting in God’s Presence, feasting on His word, being renewed, refreshed and restored by His Spirit.
My friend, you are not alone in your struggles. Don’t fall for the lie that says you have no hope.
In Christ, you have every hope of seeing change even as you walk through this trial with Him by your side.
There have been so many greatly challenging emotional, relational and physical circumstances in my life recently that I wanted nothing more than to turn my back and run away from it all.
Hiding seemed the best option. Who in the world could face and deal with this?
Then God whispered, “Run to Me, my child. I’m your safe place always. Hide yourself in Me”.
And He was right. There is no safer place to be in the eye of the storm than resting in the safety and shelter of the eternal Rock.
I’m still in the war zone. But I have faith in God fighting on my behalf as I relinquish control, learn to let go of anxiety and fear and receive His peace and calm to enable me to keep on walking.
Our problems may not go away, but we are better equipped to deal with them.
So let’s get tough on tough situations:
Take (all) Our Upsets Griefs (and concerns to) Him
I’m willing to try it. How about you?
Linking here with Tracy at Winsome Wednesday
And with Jennifer at Tell His Story
You are very welcome to join in
Words of Joy 
Every, single day I wonder when breakthrough will finally come. I'm exhausted. Thank you for this.
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Rebekah, I understand and fully sympathise with those feelings. Life in the wilderness can feel very bleak and never-ending. I am grateful for the small mercies and graces God pours into our lives to make the journey endurable and His presence our constant comfort. Thinking of you.
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Dear Joy,Thank you for sharing out of the depths of your struggle…and I am thankful that when my strength is gone, I can always run to the One, whose strength is limitless like His love…blessings to you 🙂
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Indeed, Dolly, God is our strength always. He just longs to be that for us each and every day. As we rest in His limitless love we can be equipped to face the day ahead..and the next..and so on. Blessings.
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Dear Joy- thank you- life is exhausting- I constantly need to be reminded how EVER PRESENT He is- so willing to pour into our lives- so full of strength & grace for our journey. He is our gentle Shepherd- and He will carry us when we can't walk. hugs
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There are so many times when we struggle on alone and seem to forget God is at hand. Once we are reminded we tend to wonder why we ever forgot! To know that our gentle Shepherd "will carry us when we can't walk" is a huge relief too. Thank you for sharing your insights here, Cindy. Blessings.
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Thanks, Joy, this is where I am too, lurching from one seeming disaster to another, wondering when I'll get a break. God is truly the place of stillness in the eye of the storm. May he bless you xxx
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It's an uncomfortable place to be in, isn't it? And right in the mess and mire is where God meets with us. His hand is not too short to save or pull us out, even if the timing may seem last-minute to us. Seeing how we can rest in Him and trust Him to work things out for our ultimate good is a place where we can begin to break free from anxiety and find that "stillness in the eye of the storm". Praying for you, my friend. xx
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Thank you so much Joy! Just what I needed to be reminded of today. So many things happening, I am really struggling to keep up with work, family, etc. I appreciate your openness and sensitivity to the Spirit. May God richly bless you!
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Thanks very much for letting me know how this has blessed you, Tanya. I'm grateful that God gave me words to share in my trials that can help others with overcoming theirs. May God give you peace and strength. Blessings.
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Written in your usual encouraging and sensitive style. Lovely. Thank you, Joy.
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Thank you so much, Deborah! I really appreciate your kind comment.
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This post is a beautiful reminder to me as to where to go when it gets all to much as it does at times, like the poem says "Run to Me, my child. I'm your safe place always. Hide yourself in Me". These are precious words our savior calls us to rest in Him , secure from life's storm.
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Lovely words to encourage our hearts! Yes, we can rely on God's grace, care and provision for everything. Thank you for sharing your thoughts here.
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testing testing
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