The other day, Tim was holding onto Elijah and spinning him around (at his request).

Elijah said Daddy, stop!  I can’t hold on much longer!

Tim’s simple, obvious reply?  That’s okay.  I’m holding on to you.

I feel like we’re being spun around (not at our request).  I can’t count the number of times I’ve prayed for God to make it stop, told Him we’re losing our grip and can’t hold on any longer.  I want His answer to be to stop the spinning, to let us adjust, wrap our arms tighter, feel that He’s firmly within our grasp, and know that we have made ourselves secure enough to handle the trials that come.  I want to be able to trust our strength, our abilities, our wisdom, our resolve.

But maybe these spinning, upside-down, storm-tossed days are to make us fail.  To make it obvious that our strength isn’t enough, that our determination isn’t enough, that our ability to mitigate circumstances isn’t enough to make life work.  Maybe God is trying to shake off all illusion we have that we are the ones keeping ourselves safe and secure, so that we will acknowledge that He is holding us, and guarding us…and is in complete control of every dizzying turn and crashing wave that causes us to feel helpless.

If I let myself think otherwise, then I would be utterly hopeless right now.