This is a little late. Brenda and I took a short vacation to Amsterdam.
“We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.”
(2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT)
I have heard many people say, “I’m at the end of my rope.” What does this mean? To many people it means they cannot take any more negative things happening. They have gone as far as they can and they have now reached the limit of their patience. To others it means there is no more hope. They have exhausted every possibility of help and feel there is no more for them to hold on to.
Most of us do not realize how much we need Jesus until we are burned out from stress. This could be either stress we bring on ourselves or by stress that is caused by circumstances beyond our control.
Why is that?
In today’s verse Paul says it is because we are fragile, but he doesn’t stop there. He says that God made us this way so that His power may be known through us! Maybe someone has said to just tie a knot in the end of your rope and hang on!
We could be at the end of our rope and feel defeated, but we still have Jesus. The joy of knowing Jesus will keep us from being destroyed.
Joy will keep us going when we are at the end of our rope offended by a harsh word or deed. We still have Jesus!
Joy will uphold us when we are at the end of our rope with circumstances and situations. We still have Jesus!
Joy will lift us up when we are at the end of our rope with the actions of friends and family. We still have Jesus!
Joy will make us free when we are at the end of our rope with weeping due to loss and pain. We still have Jesus!
When we are at the end of our rope, when we have lost all patience and hope, we still have Jesus!
Jesus will lift us when happiness is wiped out.
Jesus changes hopelessness to hope fulfilled.
Jesus changes confusion to praise.
Jesus changes questions to truth.
Jesus changes depressed to delivered.
Jesus changes giving up to looking up.
Jesus changes sorrow to joy.
Jesus changes bewildered to strengthened.
All of us know that life is not always fair, bad things happen to good people. Sometimes Christians have financial problems, Sometimes Christians get sick, Sometimes Christians fight personal battles in their marriage, in their minds, even in their flesh, or their appetites. Many times Christians will reach “the end of their rope.” But there is victory in Jesus Christ.
Stop depending on the rope. The rope will not save us. Jesus Christ will save us. It’s time to turn our eyes from how much or how little rope we have left to a faith and trust in Jesus Christ that has no end.
Sometimes God wants us to let go of the rope because it is keeping us tied down to our destructive habits. We are totally dependent on God so that the love of His Son may be made known to the world.
Hello Again!!
7 years ago
