Ain’t That A VHIT
By Von C. Howard
I have learned that some of the hardest moments in life are not the moments when we do not know what to do. They are the moments when we know exactly what we want to do, but wisdom tells us to wait.
There have been times when I wanted to respond immediately, make a drastic decision, walk away, send the message, or say everything that was on my mind. In those moments, my emotions made movement feel necessary. I felt that if I did not react, I would appear weak, unaware, or afraid.
But age, experience, prayer, and a few painful lessons have taught me that every feeling does not require an action.
Sometimes, I simply have to hold.
Holding does not mean that I am confused, passive, or unwilling to stand up for myself. It means I am learning to use discernment. I am learning that some decisions should not be made while anger is speaking, disappointment is fresh, or frustration is clouding my judgment.
I am also learning that urgency can sometimes be impatience in disguise. What feels like a need to act immediately may actually be a need to pause, pray, breathe, and allow clarity to catch up with my emotions.
Many of us have made decisions while hurt that we later had to repair while healed. We have said things in tense moments that lasted longer than the feelings that produced them. We walked away from people, places, and opportunities because the moment was uncomfortable, only to later realize that discomfort was not always a sign to leave.
Sometimes, we must just hold.
Hold your peace, especially when the moment feels uneven. There are times when people may misunderstand you, overlook you, disappoint you, or fail to give you the same grace you have extended to them. Holding your peace does not mean the situation did not hurt. It means you refuse to allow someone else’s behavior to control your spirit.
I have also had to learn how to hold my tongue. That has not always been easy. There are moments when I know I could say more, explain more, or reveal more. However, every truth does not have to be spoken at every moment. Every accusation does not require an immediate defense, and every insult does not deserve a response.
Words spoken in anger can become permanent evidence of a temporary emotion.
Holding my tongue does not mean I have lost my voice. It means I value my voice enough not to use it carelessly.
Yet the greatest hold of all is continuing to “Hold to God’s Unchanging Hand”.
People change. Plans change. Relationships shift. Positions change. Doors open, and doors close. Life can become unfamiliar without warning. Still, God’s Hand does not tremble when our world does. His grip does not weaken when our strength does.
His hand lifted me when life knocked me down. It has held me when disappointment made standing difficult. It guided me when I could not see my next step. It has also corrected and chastised me when pride, impatience, or emotion tried to lead me in the wrong direction.
Even correction reminds me that God has not let me go.
Perhaps you are in a season where everything inside of you is telling you to react. Before you make the call, send the message, close the door, or make the drastic move, pause.
Just hold.
Hold your peace. Hold your tongue. Hold your position until wisdom becomes clear.
Most importantly, hold to the Hand that has never stopped holding you.