Have you ever felt stuck in your faith? Like you can’t seem to grow any deeper? Stand any stronger? Believe any better? I know I have.
Sometimes I feel like a trapeze artist who’s stuck hanging over the vast expanse in a circus tent, wondering why I can’t fly through the spiritual life with the greatest of ease like so many others seem to.
OK, let me back up. Have you ever watched a circus performer on a flying trapeze? An aerialist stands on a high platform while holding onto a tiny trapeze bar connected to a rope. She jumps off the perch and swings through the air. She swings out once, swings back above the platform, and swings out again.
It is usually during the peak of the third swing when the performer releases the bar mid-air and grabs hold of another bar or second performer swinging toward her. Once she grabs hold, the crowd remembers to breathe. Somersaults, backflips, and triple twists wow the crowd.
And each move requires the performer to let go of one bar and grab hold of another. If she refuses to let go of the first bar after she grabs the second, she’ll be stuck hanging between the two platforms with hands clinging to both bars…stuck. Not the greatest show on earth.
Paul wrote to the Philippians about how to keep moving forward and not get stuck in our faith, “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me” (Phil. 3:12, emphasis added). Another version expresses the verse this way: “I press on to lay hold of (grasp) and make my own, that for which Christ Jesus (the Messiah) has laid hold of me and made me His own” (AMPC).
When we take hold—grasp—and make our own all that Jesus had already taken hold of for us, we begin to experience life to the full—the faith we’ve always longed for. We get unstuck and move forward.
When we grasp and make our own what Jesus has already done for us, and what He has deposited in us, our lives look very different than the tepid faith of the average churchgoer.
I’ve discovered it’s not enough to know the promises of God in my head. I’ve got to take hold of them with all the firmness of the trapeze artist grasping that second bar. At the same time, I’ve let go of anything that holds me back. That is the greatest show on earth. That is how the greatest faith on earth becomes a reality.
God’s promises are not automatic. We must move from knowing the promise, to believing the promise, to taking hold of the promise through obedient action in order to make them a reality in our lives. Let me say that again: know the truth, believe the truth, act on the truth.
God told Joshua about the Promised Land, “I will give you every place where you set your foot” (Josh. 1:3). He and the Israelites had to “set their feet” to conquer the land; to grab hold of the promise that was theirs for the taking. They had to know it, believe it, and act on it.
God’s power, provision, and purposes are for “whosoever will” (Mark 8:34 KJV). Will what? Will let go of all that holds them back and take hold of the promises that move them forward.
And when we learn how to do that, we will get unstuck from a mediocre faith and begin experiencing the bold believing, mountain moving, giant slaying faith that God intended all along.
- What is one thing that you are having trouble letting go of that you know God has called you to release?
- What is one promise of God that you know in your head but need to take hold of with your heart?
Click on “comment” and let’s share. I bet you’ll be amazed at how many women are struggling with the same issues you are! Let’s encourage one another!
Lord, I’m tired of being stuck in my faith. I want to take hold of all that You have done for me and placed in me. Help me let go of everything that holds me hostage to a life that’s less than You intended and take hold of a life that’s more than I imaged. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Let’s get unstuck from mediocre faith and take hold of all that God has done for us and put in us! No more spiritual couch potato for me. I’m ready for the mountain moving, giant slaying, bold believing faith that God intended all along! In Take Hold of the Faith You Long For: Let Go, Move Forward, and Live Bold you’ll see how to ignite your faith as never before.
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© 2022 by Sharon Jaynes. All rights reserved.
Comments 41
I believe God has called me to be more disciplined and I struggle daily.
I feel much the same. In my spiritual life and in my regular day life.
I need to let go and let God. There are some areas in my life that I have a hard time letting go. That is my guilt. I had to live in misery when all I have to do is look to Jesus. When I finally did I realize that I’ve been blind and forgot God’s forgiveness. That all our past present future sins are forgiven. The other thing is fear. The fear of repenting of a sin but still keep doing it. Again look to Jesus and life can be uncomplicated.
It can be very difficult to let go. I immediately answered “letting go of my sin”. I pray you will find the strength to trust His forgiveness as well. <3
Amen
I feel like I’m treading water in my faith, I’m there but not making progress, I’m there but not drowning, I’m just there, not growing, not changing, believing but not hearing His voice…
Exactly like Sharon says. I don’t hear Gods voice and sometimes wonder am I really saved? If He doesn’t speak to me?
I’m feeling the same way Sharon.
That is where faith comes in. When you feel like God is so far away, remember His promises. Claim them and continue to keep moving forward, with faith. Having faith that God is still on the throne and still in control!!! Our God WILL bring you thru!. God does not change, God does not move. He is still there, waiting on you to keep keeping on. I promise you, He will show up right on time!!! woo hoo, our God is good.
🙂
Amen , Its my prayer too , not to lean on my own understanding but to surrender fully to his will over my life through faith.
Same exactly!!!!
I’m struggling with my faith.
I can believe for the small things, but for bigger issues, it’s hard.
My daughter has metastatic breast cancer. She has been getting Chemo since last October, with no end in sight. I know God CAN heal her. But when I see her suffering so much, and not appearing to get better. It’s very hard to keep believing that she WILL get better.
I guess I’m conflicted. Idk!
I’m conflicted with my own health. I’ve had more to be concerned about with my daughter’s health, both physically and spiritually. She’s not a practicing Christian. She married a guy who’s not a believer. I can do nothing but pray and hope our new granddaughter spends enough time with us to learn about Jesus!
It’s hard to know what to say to you as you’re scared and suffering with and for your daughter. You will continue to pray, be faithful, find some things to say praises about and keep diving deep into the Gospels for help. God isn’t oblivious. He’s aware and knows the outcome. You can let go, let Him and continue to keep those eyes facing upwards! I’ll be praying for you and your daughter. You need to have the peace that surpasses understanding from God! Xx
Liz,
I totally understand where you are – I have a son who suffered a traumatic brain injury 14 years ago and we take care of him at home. It is so hard to see the things he has to go through and his suffering. He had a kidney stone in July, caught covid in the hospital and then got a pulmonary embolism. It was horrible to go through this with him. He is still not back to where he was before covid. I believe God can jeal him and I believe He will but it’s so very hard sometimes. I have great highs of faith and great lows of discouragement.
Author
Lord I pray for Magda’s son. I pray that you will send your angel armies around him to protect him from further sickness. I pray that you will heal him and give him the best quality of life possible. I pray You will strengthen Magda for the task at hand. Encourage her. Let her see glimmers of hope in this dark place.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Thank you Sharon for your God inspired, Spirit led, and Christ filled devotions! We will never get to old to share and learn God’s truth, His holy word!
God bless!
I need to let go of the fear of what God might ask me to do if I fully surrender to His will.
Love your faithfulness to be an encourager for Christ! God bless you.
Praise God! This message was right on the mark for my struggles. Evil one is working hard to steal my joy. I can and will do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens me. Thanks for the encouragement.
The Lord has moved me through such situations and yet THE one I can not move through is my mother. I pray, plead, ask Him to help me resolve such deep issues and now as her caregiver she lives with me and I think I’m doing better and all it takes is one word from her……and I’m right back to where I was. I know this is my wall and I can’t seem to break through it.
Precious Lord Jesus, I pray for Michelle. I ask You to soften her heart and may she rest in Your love, mercy, grace, forgiveness and peace beyond understanding. May she genuinely experience You and Your love. I pray You give her eyes and a heart to see her mom the way You see her. Please heal her heart and fill her with Your love for her momma. Thank You, Lord! We thank You, praise You and give You all the glory! In Jesus’ name Amen! May God bless you abundantly 💝
My mother and I have had many deep issues in the past. There have been times I haven’t even been able to have a relationship with her. Healthy boundaries are really important in these situations. I needed to leave when she got mad or verbally abusive. You might have had to put up with this as a child but you do not now. And God gave me the strength to not give up. Today we have a healthy relationship. She loves the Lord because she knows His unconditional love for her. And she loves and appreciates me. Really a miracle! She lives in independent living and I help her with meds and doctor appointments. My question is this: does she really have to live with you? Some distance from the situation could help. But keep praying. God definitely still works miracles. 🙏
Amen Thank you God
Wine!
As I was praying the Lord revealed I need to let go of my pride and trust Him! Ouch
I tell myself – Let go, Let God, but I fear holds me back.
I know that God wants me to let go of past hurts from my family. To let go of the anger and stop blaming them for not being there when I needed them the most. I am stuck in my faith that I gained when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior at 6 years old. No one helped me grow my faith. But at 42 years later, I know that Jesus has never left me and has always been there to keep me safe. I need to find a way to grow my faith.
Thanks for the words of encouragement
1. Know the truth
2. Believe the truth
3. Act on the truth
AMEN🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾
The Lord has blessed me by allowing me to search my own heart. I fear the rejection of people in my life because I have lived it and that hinders what I have to offer as a child of God producing pride in me which is NOT how a child pf God should live. Lord help me to surrender myself COMPLETELY! More of You and less of me!
I’m struggling with my faith.
I can believe for the small things, but for bigger issues, it’s hard.
My daughter has metastatic breast cancer. She has been getting Chemo since last October, with no end in sight. I know God CAN heal her. But when I see her suffering so much, and not appearing to get better. It’s very hard to keep believing that she WILL get better.
I guess I’m conflicted. Idk!
How do you “take hold” of faith? What does that look like exactly?
Author
That’s not a short answer, but I did write a book about it that would really help you see what it looks like.
Thank you! I’ll order it.
I have trouble asking for things important to me and if it doesn’t workout how will I accept God’s action without feeling resentful!
I am an over eater and a sugar addict. I’m not obese because I remain active but know that I compulsively eat way too many desserts even as I chastise myself for doing so. I pray for strength in combatting the deadly sin of gluttony.
I know I need to let go of my fear and trust in him for everything.
I live with panic and anxiety everyday. Because I doubt.
Good morning! This message this morning is so powerful. It is so hard to let and get out of our feelings. Believing that God is not and will not hear us. I went through a situation in the last 6 years that almost destroyed the strong faith that I had. This July was the breaking point. I had to go to my son’s wedding even when I had been belittling and talked about to everyone in the wedding that was close to the bride. She had even put me down to my son and he had stop talking to me. He never came to see me or called me during a tough sickness. Or. if he did it was to set me out about his wife feelings because I wouldn’t come to her dinner, she had plan during covid. My thyroid was removed and after that my life changed forever. But I have learned that we must have Faith to Receive and wait on God. Faith gives us the ability to do things. We must do as Sarah in the bible did receive strength from God to bore a child at her age. We must focus on faith and not the problems. We must act out our faith. We must have a sense of expectation. We must hear his instruction and not doubt when he is silent while he works his plan for our life. You see Faith gives us the ability to do something even if we don’t see, feel or our prayers are not being answered as we see fit. I had much unforgiveness and hurt in my heart, but I went to his wedding by faith that my son would see I’m the mom that raised you by Faith as a single mom and with the strength of God. And as soon as he saw me, he begins to weep like a baby. He begins to repent and tell me how sorry he was. They came to get him because the wedding was about to start. And he told them to wait. I have to make things right with my mom before I can take a wife. He thanked me for being a strong mom and spoke of all the times I had covered him with the blood of Jesus and prayed him through tough situations. And then he asked for forgiveness. At that moment, all the pain I felt, and all the hurt I had, Father God removed from my heart. I could feel the hand of God working. By Faith I believed that God would do it. We must wait in expectation that when God is ready, he will answer us. But we must be willing to continue to cry out. Lord helps me, help me with wisdom and courage to do the right thing. And he will. We must get out of our feelings and continue to do what Hannah did. Keep praying and believing! My son asked me to walk with him to the altar because he knew I was walking through haters and spirits that was wishing I wasn’t there. We walked proudly hand and hand. Tears rolling down both our faces because through faith God had restored a mother and Son love back. And today we are closer than ever. Trust God today! He hears and will answer through it all and he will give you that peace that surpasses all understanding while you wait to see his glory and all answers to your prayers by faith will be answered better than you have planned out. But you got to surrender. Look at it this way. Are you going to keep on the same dirty clothes day after day, month after month, year after year. No, you are going to get up every day and change. So why not let God change your heart today with renewing your mind and your life. God Bless!
Thank you Carolyn, I am in a very similar situation with one of my daughters. Your story is truly what I needed to hear today. I have been stuck in my feelings……but now I realize how stuck I am between those trapeze bars…I must let go of the first so I can hold on to the second with both hands & get what I really want & need…..that is for restoration of our relationship & to restore our whole families relationship……your sister in Christ, Jannan
Wow wow wow Carolyn!!
Thank you for sharing that! God bless you!
I need to let go of fear and anxiety.
I have not been given my Prayer Language and I feel like I’m “striving” to receive it. Especially during corporate prayer, I get frustrated and end up just opening my hands and listening. Waiting to hear from God and The Holy Spirit .