Hang in There / 坚持下去
Dexu Xia
Hang in There
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10
My father-in-law turned seventy-eight recently, and during our family gathering to honor him, someone asked him, “What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in your life so far?” His answer? “Hang in there.”
Hang in there. It might be tempting to dismiss those words as simplistic. But my father-in-law wasn’t promoting blind optimism or positive thinking. He’s endured tough things in his nearly eight decades. His determination to press on wasn’t grounded in some vague hope that things might get better, but in Christ’s work in his life.
“Hanging in there”—the Bible calls it perseverance—isn’t possible through mere willpower. We persevere because God promised, over and over, that He’s with us, that He’ll give us strength, and that He’ll accomplish His purposes in our lives. That’s the message He spoke to the Israelites through Isaiah: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
What does it take to “hang in there”? According to Isaiah, the foundation for hope is God’s character. Knowing God’s goodness allows us to release our grip on fear so we can cling to the Father and His promise that He will provide what we need each day: strength, help, and God’s comforting, empowering, and upholding presence.
How have you experienced God’s provision for you in moments of fear? How can the support of other believers help you to hang on?
Father, Your love gives us everything we need to “hang in there.” Help us to remember Your promise of strength and to rely upon it each day
坚持下去
我必坚固你，我必帮助你，我必用我公义的右手扶持你。-以赛亚书41章10节
最近我岳父刚满78岁，我们全家一起为他庆生，有人问他：“你一生所学会的功课，最重要的是什么？”他回答说：“坚持下去！”
坚持下去！这几个字看来简单，也容易被人忽略。但我岳父并非推崇盲目乐观或正向思维，他在将近80年的时间里承受了许多艰难的困境，但他仍坚持下去。他的坚持并不是基于渺茫的希望，即事情可能有转机，而是基于基督在他生命中的工作。
“坚持下去”就是圣经所说的“忍耐”，单靠意志力是不可能做到的。我们能够忍耐是因上帝一再应许祂会与我们同在，赐给我们能力，并会完成祂在我们身上的工作。这也是上帝透过以赛亚向以色列民宣告的信息：“你不要害怕，因为我与你同在；不要惊惶，因为我是你的上帝。我必坚固你，我必帮助你，我必用我公义的右手扶持你。”（以赛亚书41章10节）
怎样才能“坚持下去”呢？先知以赛亚说，上帝的特质就是盼望的根基。认识上帝的良善能让我们不再恐惧，并能信靠天父和祂的应许，相信祂每天都会供应我们所需的力量和帮助，也相信上帝会以祂的同在让我们得着安慰、能力与扶持。
天父，祢的爱使我们能坚持下去，请帮助我们记得祢应许赐下能力，让我们每天都倚靠祢。
你曾如何在恐惧或不确定中，经历了上帝的供应？
主内弟兄姐妹的扶持如何帮助你坚持下去？