Caught Up in a Vicious Cycle
by Annalene Holtzhausen
In the NKJV, Psalm 43 is titled as: Prayer to God in Time of Trouble. I’m sure many of us can relate to a time of trouble. Life comes with so many challenges and the enemy doesn’t for one moment let us out of his sight; he is always trying to trip us up whenever he can. But the Word of God is an abundant and rich source of advice and guidance, no matter what your situation may be. When trouble strikes, the best route to follow, is to turn to the Lord. Psalm 121:1-2: ‘I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth’.
This is by no means an instant solution, but by turning to the Lord in the midst of our trouble, we are inviting Him into our situation and allowing Him to show us which direction to choose and which steps to take. It also helps us to keep going and renews our hope when we stumble along the way.
I recently spent time with someone who has become so caught up in the rush of life. He is overwhelmed by his workload, experiencing financial stress, battling with tiredness, family relationships are taking the strain, and he just feeling so despondent. Over and above all this, he is feeling guilty for not spending more time with the Lord. And so, the vicious cycle begins that turns us upside down and inside out.
In the midst of all this, the Lord stretches out His hand and says: ‘Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest’. (Matthew 11:28). The Lord will never condemn you, nor will He pile extra burdens and guilt upon you; never. His Father heart is to help you and be near to you on your journey.
In my own life, I have been battling with a specific issue for many years. Endless prayers and it just seemed to get worse. And yes, I got tired and frustrated. I felt as if I had done all I could, prayed every prayer, submitted to the Lord, asked for help where I could and still no change. And then one day, during a ministry session, the Lord showed me a glimpse of truth about my struggle. And for the first time in years, there is a change. It’s still a journey, but with so much more peace.
Don’t give up, just look up and find that quiet place in the Lord, even just for a moment. ‘Be still and know (recognise, understand) that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations! I will be exalted in the earth’ (Psalms 46:10, AMP). You are not alone. He will show you the way. If you can relate to being caught up in a vicious circle, perhaps you would like to pray the following prayer.
Prayer: Father, I am tired of this struggle and don’t know the way through this wilderness. I’m sorry for trying to solve it on my own. Please help me and show me the way forward. I choose to trust You and know You will never leave me nor forsake me. Renew my hope and keep my eyes lifted unto You. Amen.
Annalene Holtzhausen is on the Associate Team at Ellel, Africa. She is married to Renier, who introduced her to Ellel Ministries. She is a full-time mother to their two boys. Her passion is for the restoration of women’s hearts and for people to find their worth in the Lord.
Please feel free to use this devotional to send on to your friends or share with your church fellowship. Provided full acknowledgement is made to Seeds of the Kingdom as the source, you are also welcome to use it in a non-commercial way and reproduce it in magazines or other Christian websites. The copyright for any commercial use of the material remains with Ellel Ministries International.
