by Holly Newton

“I called to the Lord in distress; the Lord answered me and put me in a spacious place. The Lord is for me; I will not be afraid. What can a mere mortal do to me?”

Psalm 118:5-6

Helplessness is the first step to true hopefulness. This counterintuitive reality is woven throughout the verses in Psalm 116-118. When was the last time you felt something was beyond your control? Did you feel helpless? Maybe it was a transition, a strained relationship, or loss of a loved one. For me, in the past year, it’s been a disease that caught me completely off guard amid a move across the country. When life feels beyond our control it can be frustrating and even frightening. Our humanness doesn’t want to admit inability to be self-sustaining. There are circumstances in life we have to go through – not around.

God invites us into his presence to exchange our white-knuckle grip for his hope and strength. Sin has hard-wired us for self reliance. The verses in Psalm 116 give us a glimpse of our desperate need for grace – God’s grace.

“For you, Lord, rescued me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living. I believed when I said, I am severely oppressed.”

Psalm 116:8-10

Over and again in Psalms we see where weakness led the writers to desperate dependence on God and where praise in the midst of distress led to strength and comfort. Our problems are small in comparison to our big God and his power. This realization gives us freedom and a new perspective on life.

How do you move from the tight grip to receiving grace and peace? Just begin. Start with worship and prayer – even when you don’t feel like it. Being weak is our greatest strength when it leads to the cross.

“It’s better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in humanity.”

Psalm 118:8

Holly Newton is Founder of She Lives Fearless, an author, speaker, and appears on TV and Radio as a guest segment speaker in the Nashville, Orlando, and Dallas markets. She also hosts the She Lives Fearless Podcast. Connect with her at www.hollyanewton.com and on Instagram @hollyanewton.