How To Cling to God When Life Unravels
ALICIA BRUXVOORT
Lee en español
“I cling to you; your right hand upholds me.” Psalm 63:8 (NIV)
As I pass the familiar yard on my walking path, my steps slow and I admire the manicured patch of green. I love the pristine flowers, the vine-covered wall, and the stately oak tree in the center of it all.
However, today it’s not the tree that catches my eye. It’s the ragged rope dangling from a limb between earth and sky. As I watch the weathered cord sway in the gentle breeze, I see a picture of prayer.
Prayer has always been one of my favorite ways to connect with God. I love to scribble prayers in my journal each morning and continue my conversation with God throughout my day. But then I found myself in a season of confusion and grief, and prayer as I knew it stopped working. My conversations with God shifted from endless talk to ugly tears, from candid pleas to awkward silence.
I was dismayed by my circumstances and baffled by God’s plans. And sadly, when I needed Him most, I struggled to connect with the One who knows me best.
Give me a new way to pray, Lord, I pleaded one morning. Then I opened my Bible, and a single verse stirred my heart: “I cling to you; your right hand upholds me” (Psalm 63:8).
David didn’t utter those words from the comfort of a palace; he spoke them from the confines of the wilderness. Saul, the king he’d sworn to serve, had become his enemy, and his people sought David’s life. But as uncertainty engulfed him and armies pursued him, David moved close to God with an earnest prayer.
The Hebrew term for “cling” in this key verse also means “to stick together,” while the ancient metaphor of the “right hand” implies ultimate authority and might. With these words, David offered God a promise and a plea: I’ll hang on to You with all of my strength if You’ll sustain me with all of Yours.
David sought God’s presence even when he didn’t understand God’s plans, and he inspired me to do the same.
I echoed his prayer when I woke in the morning and when I lay awake at night. I sang it in the car, and I shouted it in the woods. I scribbled it in my journal, and I posted it on my fridge. I cling to You; Your right hand upholds me.
That dogged declaration stretched between me and God like a sturdy rope, and day by day, it twined me to His faithfulness.
In a season when my words were few and my ache was deep, I discovered this tender truth: Sometimes prayer is a way to speak up, and sometimes it's a way to hold on. But always prayer is a trustworthy tether, tying our hearts to the Love who won’t let us go.
Dear Jesus, thank You for sticking close to me even when I wander from You. I crave Your presence and need Your strength. Help me, Holy Spirit, to pray even when I don’t know what to say. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
OUR FAVORITE THINGS
There’s something powerful about saying “yes” right where you are. Maybe you’ve seen it in your own life — one small step of obedience that God used in a bigger way than you imagined. That’s what your gift can do today. On Giving Tuesday, every dollar you give helps reach even more women with the hope of God’s Word. And as our thank-you, you’ll receive the brand-new “Not My Will but Yours” 2026 Calendar, a daily reminder that living surrendered to God’s will brings steady hope in every season. But don’t wait — calendars are available only while supplies last. Give today, and let your “yes” help place God’s Truth in someone else’s hands.
ENGAGE
Connect with Alicia on Instagram for more encouragement, and visit her website for a free printable of more clinging prayers.
FOR DEEPER STUDY
Psalm 17:6, “I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray” (NLT).
Deuteronomy 11:22b, “Show love to the LORD your God by walking in his ways and holding tightly to him” (NLT).
What is helping you cling to God right now? Share your thoughts in the comments!
© 2025 by Alicia Bruxvoort. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
P.O. Box 3189
Matthews, NC 28106
www.Proverbs31.org
Originally published Tuesday, 02 December 2025.
SHARE
