When you feel like you're at the end of your rope

Reaching the “end of your rope” is the worst feeling.

You feel defeated.
You feel overwhelmed.
You feel helpless.
You feel fearful.

If there was ever a time that I felt all of these, it was these past two weeks. I've seen 4 specialists over the course of a week, had two minor surgeries, two transfusions, survived all the fireworks over July 4th weekend, and still managed to do something that I loved...taught a art class.  However, I can honestly tell you that these were two tough weeks, and there were times where I just wanted to give up.  Fatigue was getting the better of me.  Doubt was creeping in as one problem after another raised its ugly head.  I began to question all that I had done to heal my body, only to have my body revolt once again. I was getting to the end of my rope, and I wasn't sure I could hang on.

Are you at the end of your rope? If you are, then you probably feel like there is nowhere else you can turn. My advice to you today is tie a knot, hang on and trust God!

Now, I realize we've used that phrase for years and years, until we've belittled it and it doesn't have quite the meaning that it should.

 In the time of trouble you might ask somebody, "Well, what are you doing?" And they respond, "Just trusting God." They say it with tears in their eyes and their head dropping before they get it all out.

It's obvious they're not trusting God. They're just repeating a religious cliché .

If you are at the end of your rope today, it's not a bad place to be. Now you're forced to trust God. There's not one thing in your life that God's not able and willing to deliver you out of. If you are at the end of your rope, don't you dare give up. God is the God of comfort. He'll provide comfort for you in your situation and not only that, when it's all said and done, you will be able to impart comfort into others who are going through similar situations. I fully believe that is a reason why I am going through the path that I currently walk.  At the end of it, and through it, I should be able to impart some form of encouragement and comfort to others who are in the same or similar situations that I am.

Matthew 6:34 says, "Take therefore no thought for the morrow; for the morrow shall take care of the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof." The Message translation says it like this, "Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now. Don't get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes."

Too many times we get focused on what we think God's not doing. "Where is the money? Where's my healing? When will my needs be met?" If you focus on what you think God's not doing, then you're in the arena the devil loves for you to be in. God wants you to focus on what He is doing.

"Well, I don't see anything happening." That doesn't mean He's not doing anything.  I know God's busy working on my behalf.  It doesn't mean that I don't get discouraged but I try to put my focus on God and His power, and to remain steadfast in His promise that He will take care of me.  I believe that God is doing something right now behind the scenes that I am not even aware of, and one day I'll come back rejoicing with the victory report.

The thought that motivates me is the due season could come at any moment. You never know when it's going to show up. That's enough reason to keep standing. I would hate to think that I gave up and due season was about to manifest in the next few moments, but I missed it.

How many times do you suppose the angels were just about to deliver your "goods" and you got distracted? I don't like that thought. I don't want them to miss my house.

Matthew 5  says, "You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and His rule. You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you. 

God has a way out of every situation that you may find yourself in. But you must be sensitive to the spirit of God in order to hear His instructions. If you're going to be around carnal people all the time, watch television all day, worry all day, and scratch your head trying to figure out how you're going to get out of this mess, then you're not in a position to hear the instructions of God.

When you spend time with Him, don't talk about the problem. Let Him talk.  God already knows what help you need.  He already knows  what your problem is. You don't have to tell God all of your problems. Everything you do is exposed to Him. He already knows what you're going through. He already knows the pressure you are under. Just get before Him and say, "I've come to get away with You, show me what You would do in my situation."

His words are life to my spirit. I can't overcome being overwhelmed if there's not a continual flow of God's Word in my life. When I feel like I am at the end of my rope with illness, pressure, stress, depression, or loneliness, I don't give up. This is not the time to say it's over. I tie a big knot in that rope, hang on, brighten up, leap, spin around and trust God. He will deliver me and I know He will deliver you! He is faithful!

Don't forget God is on your side and He promised that no weapon formed against you will prosper!

Ps. 61 is a “hang-on-to-your-rope” kind of song, written by a “hang-on-to-your-rope” kind of guy, David.

In Ps. 61, David is at the end of his rope. He has just experienced the brutal betrayal of his beloved son, Absalom, who usurped his throne in grievous ways (2 Sam. 16:22). At the time David wrote this song of praise, it is likely he had just mourned the death of his smooth-talking son and was still in hiding unsure of the tenor of Jerusalem toward their king.
Despite his own contributions to the situation, I can imagine David felt defeated, out of control, fearful, and maybe even a little angry at how his life had played out.
David had reached the end of his rope. So, what did he do? Throw a pity party? Give up? Seek retribution? Let resentment seep in?
No. Instead, David asked God to do three things in his life. Three things that God still desires to do for us today when we find ourselves clinging to the end of frayed circumstances.

1.      DAVID ASKED GOD TO LISTEN (Ps. 61:1-2a).

Hear my cry, O God;
Attend to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed;

 The phrase “from the end of the earth” means more than geographical locations. In the original language, it’s a metaphor for “coming to the end of your rope.” David was at his end. And instead of giving up, he cried out to the One person strong enough to save him.
I’m not sure I always do that.  I wonder how many vise grips on the ends of a rope I could have avoided if I had asked God for help sooner, if I had sought out his grace sooner, if I had relied on his strength to pull me up the rest of the way?
Sometimes, the reason we find ourselves dangling from a precarious cliff is because we allowed ourselves to get too close to the edge without turning to Him in the first place. 

2.      DAVID ASKED GOD TO LEAD (Ps. 61:2b-3) 

Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy.

David is painting the picture of God lifting him out of his circumstances. God does that. When we turn toward him and follow his leading, not only do we quite often find ourselves on the right path, but we can also find ourselves free from problems caused by sin.

That’s not to say that we’ll never find ourselves in dangerous situations. But we will have the security of knowledge that God has led us exactly where we wants us to be. When God leads, he saves. But he also protects.

3.      DAVID ASKED GOD TO HIDE HIM (Ps. 61:4) 

I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;
I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.

Instead of returning to Jerusalem to claim his throne after the rebellion, David declares his desire to abide in God’s holy tabernacle.
David’s desire to abide under the wings of the mercy seat is very interesting. For according to God’s Law, only those from the tribe of Levi could enter such a holy place. And from this tribe only one man – the High Priest – was permitted to enter only once a year to offer sacrifices on behalf of the people.
David’s desire to dwell with the King is a statement of trust. He is viewing his circumstances – the tragic events he recently experienced and his physical separation from God – as temporary in nature. David had spiritual eyes. And he asked God to hide his soul in the mercy seat, pictured as the strong wings of the cherubim.
David asks God to do a lot more in Ps. 61. But above all, David learns that the only way to cope with a frayed rope is to lean into God’s promises (Ps. 61:5-6).
God’s Word promises us much. God promises to hear us when we are overwhelmed by life. He promises to lead us in the path of wisdom. And He promises to hide us in Him so we will not ever be fully defeated by sin.
No wonder David ends his song on a note of praise. Let’s do the same and cling to God’s promises together!

So I will sing praise to Your name forever,
That I may daily perform my vows. (Ps. 61:7)