Encouragement for Today

June 26, 2026 Held When I Can't Hold On JACKIE SMITH-BELL Lee en español

“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Exodus 14:14 (NIV)

I didn’t realize how tightly I was gripping life until I sat on the attic floor, preparing for a move. Dusty boxes surrounded me. In my hands were tiny shoes that once carried little feet, now grown, and the tears came unexpectedly.

It wasn’t just that time had passed. It was the lingering ache of trying to be enough — for my children, yes, but also for everyone and everything.

Some mornings, I woke up bracing for the day. Before my feet touched the floor, my mind raced through conversations, decisions, and responsibilities. Nothing earth-shattering had happened, yet my chest felt tight, like something could go wrong if I didn’t hold it all together.

Maybe you know that feeling … that quiet fear that if one thing slips, everything might.

Somewhere along the way, I began living as if God were holding His breath and waiting to see if I would get it right, as if His love depended on my performance. I carried the weight of outcomes, measuring my faithfulness by how well I could keep things from unraveling.

Then I read the grace-filled words in Exodus 14:14: “The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.”

This was God’s message to the Israelites when they stood trapped by the Red Sea before them and Pharaoh’s army closing in. Dust rose on the horizon. What they feared was close, yet God’s command wasn’t to do more — it was to trust Him. Obedience didn’t look impressive. It looked like standing still while fear pressed in. Stillness wasn’t weakness; it was faith.

“The LORD will fight for you,” He said. Not just “assist.” Not just “advise.” Fight.

God wasn’t asking His people to deny fear but to remember His power to defend them. The One who commands the seas isn’t shaken by armies. The One who had delivered His people before wouldn’t abandon them now.

Whether we’re navigating motherhood, marriage, singleness, health, or aging parents, the pressures in our lives may differ from those in ancient Israel — but the weight and fear are still real. Thankfully, God's promise still holds true.

Stillness isn’t doing nothing; it’s surrendering our grip, releasing what we think we must control, and trusting God to work in ways we can’t. What if some of what we’re holding was never ours to shoulder?

I often slip into believing that if I plan carefully, I can secure the best outcome or avoid what I’m afraid of. But striving has never parted a sea; it only exhausts the soul.

I’m learning to pause, breathe, and place it all before Him. Some days, that looks like nothing more than a whispered prayer for help.

Instead of controlling every detail, we can find true peace by resting in the One who fights for us and wins battles beyond our strength. You and I don’t have to hold it all together. When we can’t, He holds us.

Dear God, thank You for meeting me right where I am. When fear rises, remind my heart there’s no battle too big for You and no burden too heavy for You. Help me to release what I’m holding and to rest in the truth that You are fighting for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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When’s the last time you caught yourself thinking, Wait … I’ve been here before? Not in a funny way — but in that moment when something feels a little too familiar. The same reaction. The same tension. The same outcome you thought you’d moved past. That moment matters more than we realize. It’s often where God is gently getting our attention. That’s why we created a free resource, “An Honest Guide to Getting Unstuck,” to help you recognize what choices and consequences might be repeating and why so you can begin to move forward instead of staying stuck. You can get the free resource today and take that first step.

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