Years ago, sitting in a college chapel service, I heard our Chancellor shout out in a strong voice (as if it was God's Word) :
"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on!" ... the students shouted .. "Amen!"
I even found this phrase coming forth from my lips at times in messages that I would preach throughout the years.
I was proclaimed to encourage us not to quit just because the going was getting rough.
Little did I know until today that this phrase was borrowed from Franklin D. Roosevelt (not God);
AND there seems to be a very strong message of self reliance in this phrase similar to the phrase "You can do it!"
Oh, there is a truth to be found here, but it is only one sided ...and when I am strong it may work, but what if I am broken?
What do I do when I am at the end of my rope, and I am hanging helplessly ... left with only a short frayed end?
Please follow the painful conversation below and try not to treat the words of the hurting as selfish nor Words of our Lord as typical cliche-like answers.
"The painful thing is, a person can’t live like this forever and at some point you really do have to make a decision."
Matthew 26:39 - And He went a little further, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying,
O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will,
but as Thou wilt.
Matthew 26:42 - He went away again the second time, and prayed , saying ,
O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it,
Thy will be done.
"I don’t know why when we talk to our Dad in heaven, who is with us, He can’t just swoop us up and make things better."
Mark 15:34 - "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" ....My God, My God, why has thou forsaken me?
"OK ...I understand that Jesus went through this stuff; but I'm so thirsty, I'm so empty, I'm the one that is hurting here and I do want help!
John 19:28 -- (Jesus said) ... "I thirst."
There was no other way to FREE us ... He had to suffer, bleed and die for us ...
In the clutches of His suffering and death for us,
He had to rely upon the Father for the Joy ahead for Him, by faith, the same as we do now.
THERE was something missing from Him then, so He will be there for us NOW.
PROBLEM ... He is a great God when we are strong, BUT when we are hurting maybe He isn't so strong.
When suffering, we have a hard time with the obvious from His Word.
We have a hard time believing what we have believed and doing what we know we should do, when we are broken.
A rope can be a real problem if it stays anchored to lust and sin because it will keep us tied closely to death.
If it stays fastened around bitterness, un-forgiveness, rebellion, or hatred it will lead us to more pain and suffering.
When it continues to wind around the past, the future gets shorter with very little left to hold on to.
But when we get to the end of the rope...
Let go ...hear Him ... trust Him ... obey Him ... and you will find rest for your soul, healing for your mind, a strengthening of His will in you.
John 19:28 - After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith , I thirst.
The scripture was Jesus' source of strength of knowledge to get through the ordeal of the Cross ....what are you doing with scripture?
Suffering does not give us permission
or excuse to violate His word.
HLFA,
Jeff
