Holding on in difficult times

My people, I want to say a big thank you for all the beautiful birthday messages you sent. I received such lovely words some of you even called and I’m truly grateful. Thank you for seeing me, for loving me, and for showing me such kindness.

I’m much aware that finding a godly and genuine community isn’t easy. I’ve met people who have no real friends not because they don’t want to, but because they’ve struggled to find authentic connections. So I don’t take this community for granted. I’m thankful for every one of you. May my God bless you richly. Thank you again, from the bottom of my heart.

This morning, I woke up to a message from one of my dads (yep I’m a daddy’s girl! And yes, God has blessed me with incredible father figures who wouldn’t hesitate to handle anyone trying to hurt me 😅).He asked, “What about the topic of holding on through difficult times and not losing yourself, can you write something on that?” It’s a powerful question because it’s something we can all relate to. We’ve all faced difficult seasons. In some of them, we held on. We stayed grounded. We didn’t let the pain break us. But in others, we gave into fear, to anxiety, to pressure. And that’s real life.

I’ve always been bubbly I laugh a lot and love joking around but what many didn’t see was that sometimes, right in the middle of those laughs, I was breaking down. There were moments I was holding back tears while ministering because my assignment, in that moment, mattered more than my pain.

I remember crying, then picking up a call from someone needing advice, and changing my voice to sound cheerful just so their day could be lighter, even while mine felt heavy. So many times, I dressed well, showed up, and smiled, all while whispering, “God, please just help me get through this day. Don’t let me fall apart l can feel the sting in my heart.” And I know I’m not the only one; you’ve likely been there too. We’ve all had silent battles hidden behind strong faces but somehow, grace carried us.

The truth is, holding on doesn’t always look heroic. Sometimes it looks like getting out of bed when everything in you wants to disappear. Sometimes it’s whispering a prayer when you don’t even have the strength to believe it’ll be answered. But that, too, is strength. That, too, is faith. Sometimes it’s opening up to someone, “Hey, I’m not feeling too good today. Please pray for me.” Or being in your own space, catching a breath or two, or five or twenty.

How do you hold on and not lose yourself? Why should I keep praying when I’ve asked for something for a whole year and seen no results? Honestly, I laughed while typing that because that’s so me. The days when the pressure to make money gets heavier, it’s easy to see why so many start to compromise their faith. “God is taking too long, let me get five boyfriends,” or “I’m tired of waiting, let me go get some muti.” Some say, “Though You slay me, Lord, even with tears in my eyes, I still love You.” That takes another level of strength , the kind that keeps you rooted in God, keeps your integrity intact, and helps you remain you in a world that constantly invites you to trade your identity for relief.

The world says, “You’re going through a lot, it’s okay to drink, smoke, take something, sleep with someone just escape the pain.” But that kind of escape often costs more than it gives. In those moments, be careful because the price of compromise is usually your peace, your purpose, and parts of yourself you may never get back. Holding on might be hard, but losing yourself is harder to recover from.

Why should we hold on? What exactly are we holding on for? These may sound like simple or even petty questions, but failing to answer them has led many into drug abuse, anxiety, and even suicide. As a man, when you feel the pressure to provide for yourself and your family but nothing is working out it’s hard. So again, why hold on? Because in holding on, you give God room to perform. As a young woman waiting on God for a godly kingdom spouse why hold on? Because in the waiting, you create space for God to move. Pain or not, we remain Christians. Whether you marry today or next year, whether the job comes now or later, your faith must remain unshaken.

This journey is not conditional. We were not saved to be situational believers. “I have decided to follow Jesus, no turning back!” you sang and danced to that. But there’s a reality in those lyrics. A time comes when that declaration is tested when you must prove that it wasn’t just a catchy song, but a life you’re committed to living. Don’t you know? Jesus held on too. He could have walked away, but for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross. So hold on. We’ll continue tomorrow with some practical ways to hold on without losing yourself. But before I go, I leave you with this scripture: 

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4‬:‭14‬-‭16‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

The Holy Bible

To gift me, click here .. see you tomorrow. Keep holding on ❤️👊🏾