I feel battle weary. I have decision fatigue. I am tattered and exhausted. My knees are tired from hitting the floors in prayer, and my spirit is weary from moments of sheer confusion. In the last month our family has dealt with multiple trips to the emergency room, a difficult city government regarding the sale of our home, a major move and financial frustrations. I’ve seen God do miracles in the eleventh hour when we knew only He could fix the problem or provide for us. I’ve dealt with outcomes we didn’t want. I’m exhausted, but I continue to hold on.
My mom calls me her little bulldog. I could be offended, but I get it. A bulldog has a personality that is persistent and determined. If something belongs to a bulldog, she grabs on and doesn’t let go, no matter who tries to take it from her. She has been designed by God to be able to breathe as she locks her jaws on to what she knows is hers. I embrace the personality of a bulldog when it comes to what God has told me about who I am, what He’s done, what He promises, and what He can do through me. An outsider might think I’m stubborn and not living in reality. But when it comes to God’s truth, I believe it’s smart to grab on and never let go.
I realize it’s easy to be frustrated after the first time something doesn’t work in your family, career, or plans. It’s even more exhausting when God asked you to do something or led you to a decision and then things don’t go as planned the first time or even the tenth time. Maybe you’ve never seen God come through in the situation you desperately prayed for. I can relate to all of the above.
Remember your determination, overcoming spirit, and persistence is an expression of faith in the middle of those difficult moments. Being tenacious with God is a lost art, and when we persevere, it makes others pay attention to how God persistently loves them.
As you pick up the pieces of whatever you’re facing, know that God holds all things together. As you choose to try again, know that He will be with you wherever you go and gives you the courage you desperately need to go on. As you seek wisdom, God promises to reveal all things to you and give you His vision. As you seek Him in the midst of the hard times, God will remind you that He is holding you and the world around you together.
Somehow I keep holding on to the Lord and to His promises tighter when the storms come. There are always seasons when the storms rage, but I’m unwilling to yield or give up. I look for the hundredth solution that just might work. I wake up at 3 a.m. to search for a new treatment. I pray for wisdom and favor and help from God and His people. Some might call me annoying, but I am persistent in my faith knowing Whose I am and what He says about me.
Throughout my life’s most difficult experiences, I’ve learned that the Spirit shows up to refresh us and tighten our grip to the truth. We can be tired and still tenacious.
I’m beyond weary as I unpack our boxes in our rent house, pray that we finally close on the sale of our house, and run to get another prescription. But even in the hard moments, the Holy Spirit has been kind enough to whisper reminders of who I am that have nothing to do with my situation: I am a daughter of the King.
Sisters, we are His heirs, and we need to start acting like the King, allowing His traits to be revealed in us. And if God is one thing, He is tenacious. He never gives up on us. He holds all things together. He pursues us with His overwhelming love, and He is determined to make sure every last person has heard the good news of His salvation.
No matter what you’re facing today, let’s be like a pack of bulldogs, holding on to God in times of trouble and unwilling to let go of His promises.
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Yes! Designed to breathe while jaws are clamped shut on the desired object! May His truth always be our most prized possession & our grip never fail. Thank you for sharing this vivid picture of pursuing God’s truth especially when we’re weary & finding it hard to breathe. Bless you!
Thank you Stephanie for your sweet message this on this wet, dreary, Sunday morning. Yes, I do believe in the midst of all our troubles ( I myself and family members have been dealing with illness) and my 7 year old grandson decided to swallow a nickel yesterday, I guess he thought he was a living piggy bank! Yet, in spite of it all we hold on to all of God’s promises. We are weary, yet we know that he promise to see us through it all. Big and small… His truth is the the way, the truth and the light! And I hold fast to that knowledge and keep it close to my heart. Without him we are lost sheep, but together we are a pack of “bulldogs” clamping down and holding steadfast. Blessings to all and Thank you again for the beautiful reminder.
Thank you, Stephanie. This touched my heart so dearly. Amazing how this is the message I need to hear. I need to be tenacious and really believe God has a plan and an answer.
Such a simple reminder for me when I am about ready to throw in the towel!
Stephanie, you have no idea how much I needed this reminder today. I, too, had the nickname “bulldog” in my life. My life has become overrun with one gut punch after another and some days I remind myself that I may be so weary that I’ve let go but God never lets go of my hand.
Staphine thank you for what you shared. I believe we are Daughter’s of the king of kings that is Jesus. We are all God’s Children. Yes let’s me like a Bulldog. Or any Dog for that reason. As when you play tag with a dog. Pulling a special rope for dogs in there mouth. You pull on end the dog holding the other they don’t let go that easily. They sometimes don’t let go at all. You can pull with all your might. But that grip is so strong. You could let go. Like with God we have to have a grip so strong in him. Know he his holding us up. Will not let go of us that his grip is like that of the dog with a special dog rope. God holds us so tightly. So we know no matter what happens in our lives. Good or bad or not so good. We can go God in prayer. Through his Holy Spirit he will keep our hearts strong to stay close to him. That we don’t ask questions were is God in this he is there. Holding on to us tightly. Helping us through what ever it is we are going through. So as we will not sink. The Devil whisper in our ear were is your God now. You be able to tell Satan that you God is holding you tightly like the dog a his special dog rope. That he will not let go of. So as you don’t slip or fall. In the despare of it all. If it something bad or something not so bad. God if we go him in Prayer. He will tell us through the Holy Spirit. What to do. I found that in my own life with different things. God has never left me and he has held tightly. So I wouldn’t fall. God does this all because he love us. Even when I going through that not so good thing. Like the time years ago. When I used to take the seziures. I fell down the stairs a couple of times. I would have questioned God. Why me to take seizures.To do with my hormones to do with my periods going up the left. Then I when fell down the stairs. I remember not breaking a bone. But might have had few bruise. But looking by at it all now. God hand was with me tightly. Like the dog and his dog rope holding it tightly. God was Holding me tightly so I didn’t break and bones in the seizures that made me fall down the stairs. God was good. Keeping you all in prayer incourage. Thank you Staphine for what you shared today. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little xx
Thank you for your words of wisdom today, Stephanie!
Thank you for your openness and wisdom. Its much appreciated.
Stephanie,
It is through trials the we strengthen our faith & trust muscles. We doggedly cling to God & His promises. Knowing in our hearts that this may be our only hope. I learned this the hard way. Five years ago I had to put my dad in geriatric psych hospital. Needless to say I was scared & nervous. God graciously got me through that long month. He sent friends to pray for & comfort me. Now I’m ready for just about any trial. Fast forward five years. I am facing yet another “big” trial. For the second time in two years they have closed my unit (hospital) due to staffing. This time is a bit worse than the first one as we don’t have a permanent nurse manager. Add to that co-workers are leaving the floor & hospital in record numbers. Not sure if they will reopen my unit anytime soon. I know deep in my heart that this to shall pass. God will provide another good job somewhere. For now I’m going to be a bulldog tenaciously holding onto God & His promises.
Blessings 🙂
I’m sorry that you are facing a season of challenge after challenge. Thank you for sharing with us of the importance of being tenacious. Your post reminds me of the line spoken by the talking badger, Trufflehunter, in the C.S. Lewis’ book Prince Caspian. He is facing difficult circumstances and told that he should give up – that he is foolish to stay loyal to his king. In response he says, “I’m a badger. We don’t change. We hold on.” Ultimately he is one of the heroes because he stood firm in his faith.
Just like you.
I really needed to read this. It is so true all of it. Life can be difficult and we don’t always get the answers we want right away. We should never give up though like the bulldogs and keep praying for what we need. God is good. !!!!