“when they grasped you with the hand, you broke and tore all their shoulders; and when they leaned on you, you broke and made all their loins to shake.”
— Ezekiel 29:7
What are we holding onto? Is it strong enough to support us in every situation that we go through? There are things we rely upon when we are stressed out or facing challenges. Some of the things we may fall back on may be the things that keep us from God’s best for our lives. However, many times, we place our security and support on things that will end up hurting us. God may not show us the fragility of what we once leaned upon, but He is asking us to check if it can withstand change like God. Even good things can become a vice, so God is warning us not to let our lives depend on things in this world.
Application:
How can I know what I lean upon?
1) Identity areas that take my eyes off of Jesus.
What do I turn to when I am under stress or struggling? These may be ways to escape the tension and pressure, even for a moment. They may be harmless in themselves, but they could become an idol and a stronghold Satan has set up in our lives to take our eyes off Jesus. They can be temporary aids, but the real issue still has to be addressed.
2) Seek God for help. Our Father in Heaven already knows what we are going through, but He wants to hear from us. He also may be putting a sore spot on areas that need to be addressed because if it continues, we could find ourselves in deeper trouble. He knows what needs to be done and will give us wisdom to help us through it, but we need to seek Him. Pray specifically what you are going through. Pray for what you need help with. He desires us to lean upon Him in our times of challenge and struggle.
3) Develop trust in His Help. That means we may need to be patient. He will answer, but we need to develop trust in Him that He will do something about it. Giving up too soon and shifting our gaze to something else to save us because it is visually and materially present will keep us from noticing God’s best for us.
Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you that you desire your children to lean upon You. Thank you for being unchanging and forever reliable. Help us not to turn to things as a temporary fix that could lead us to be in deeper trouble. but help us to fix our gaze upon You. Thank you for helping me see how You work amidst my circumstances. Thank you for loving us so much not to want us to keep turning back to things we once relied upon, although they may have been destructive. Thank you for saving us, Jesus! Thank you for freeing us and allowing us to walk with You. We love you and ask of this in Your Name, Jesus! Amen!
