Holding On for the Glory of God

On February 3, 1989, apprentice jockey Nate Hubbard was having the race of his life. That is, until his horse, Sweetwater Oak, launched him from the saddle with only a hundred yards to go. He clung to the neck of his mount and crossed the finish line in second place. After finishing fifth in the race on Lystra, Ron Warren, a fellow jockey, helped to slow down Sweetwater Oak so that Hubbard could let go and land safely.

Much to everyone’s surprise, after examining the results of the race, the stewards declared that the placings were official. During the race, Hubbard’s feet never touched the ground, and Sweetwater Oak remained the second-place winner.

Interestingly, when he was asked about the event later, Nate Hubbard said he wasn’t focused on winning. He explained he looked at the alternatives and holding on was a better choice than getting trampled by the rest of the horses.

Have you ever had a Nate Hubbard moment? Maybe not a literal one, but a moment when you were at the starting line with everyone else, and before you knew it, you were hanging on for dear life? Forget finishing first; have you ever been in a season so challenging you’ve found yourself choosing between holding on and being trampled, forgetting all about moving forward?

In stressful moments, I sometimes find myself frozen, unable to make a decision, especially when my choices require me to engage with people who will increase my stress levels.

Our sons are currently in seventh and ninth grades, respectively, and they both have great personalities. They are respectful and get along well. Every once in a while, a mom with young kids will ask me if this is what her future holds.

Our boys are easy now, but two high-risk deliveries twenty months apart, each with its own extended hospital stay, was overwhelming and stressful. I love my boys, but there were many days during those early years when I felt like Nate Hubbard, except I wasn’t covered in dirt while clinging to a horse. I was clinging to a coffee mug and covered in baby fluids.

During those foggy days, I was lucky if I was able to read a full page of a devotional, let alone focus on reflection questions. I prayed as I was changing loads of laundry, changing diapers, nursing, and falling into bed exhausted night after night.

Galatians 5:22-25 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (NIV).

When my boys were little and crying or fighting, and I was running on caffeine, it felt like a stretch to expect kindness, gentleness, and joy all at the same time.

Reflecting love and peace in Nate Hubbard moments isn’t easy at any stage of life. I think it’s even more challenging these days, thanks to social media. But there’s an important reminder in this passage that we shouldn’t overlook. These attributes in Galatians are the result of our ability to reflect the Holy Spirit. When we engage these character traits, we show the world Christ in us.

In John 13-14, Jesus warns the disciples he is leaving them soon. He tells the disciples that in his absence strangers will identify them as his followers if they love one another. Jesus assures the disciples that he will send another helper, one who won’t leave them. He names Holy Spirit the Spirit of truth.

John 13:32-35 says, “When he was gone, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another’” (NIV).

In my “Nate Hubbard moments” with little kids waiting for nap time, or bedtime, or another adult to help by providing some man-to-man coverage at the end of the day, I wasn’t thinking about whether others were identifying me as a follower of Jesus. I wanted my boys to know I loved them, but frankly, sometimes I was pretty sure I was about to get trampled by exhaustion.

Every time I thought I’d hit my limit, one of the boys would rub his eyes or yawn and suddenly, hope would start to rise. Naptime was drawing closer. Lamentations 3:22-23 may remind us that God’s mercies are new every morning, but for us, they were often new every afternoon, following a good, long nap.

Nate Hubbard said he chose to hold on when he was tossed from the saddle rather than face trampling because it seemed like the better choice, not because it was the easier choice or his preferred choice. That’s the thing about hard seasons. We spend our days choosing between what often feel like bad and worse options.

Now, when I pull up pictures, my boys remember only the fun memories. They talk about the zoo, park days, swimming, and all the times they felt safe in our home, laughing with friends and family. Every time I find myself with the same thought: God is so gracious!

John 14:15-17 says, “If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth” (NIV).

Now that my kids are older, the exhausting moments are fewer, but I still fail to perfectly reflect the fruit of the Spirit, especially in stressful moments. Regardless, I can trust that when I’m clinging to the Holy Spirit, I won’t risk being trampled or trampling others. I love that Jesus tells the disciples that their helper is the Spirit of truth.

If I don’t pause to ask the Holy Spirit for guidance to reveal the truth, I could read these verses out of context. But I know from a few paragraphs earlier that Jesus had already given the disciples a new command: “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

While this is certainly still a very challenging task, in the moments when I’m holding on for dear life and don’t know what my next choice is, I’m thankful that I can cling to the truth that by choosing to love, I’m glorifying God.

Even if loving someone will increase my stress level, knowing it is the choice that glorifies God makes it the better choice. It may be the choice that means I’m holding on for dear life, but I can also be assured I won’t be trampled.

Beth Walker is a football coach’s wife and mom of two energetic boys. She strives to encourage those around her to pursue their best lives in Jesus whether she is near the game field, in church, or at the local coffee shop. As a writer, Beth has been striving to find her voice through seeing Jesus in the ordinary and extraordinary of daily life. She blogs at Lessons from the Sidelines.

Photograph © Jeff Griffith, used with permission