Did You Know a Spider’s Web is Stronger than Steel?
Scientists have found the tensil strength of a strand of a spider’s web is stronger than a strand of steel of the same diameter and it is much more elastic. They are studying the unique molecular properties for use in wide range of applications.
I mention this because there was dark time in my life about 8 years ago when my marriage was strained to the breaking point. (I won’t go into the reasons in this blog; perhaps one in the future.) I had never been so shaken. It seemed my world had been struck by an earthquake and very foundation was crumbling away from underneath my feet. I was not sure of anything anymore. It was dark. We had hurt each other so badly, I couldn’t see how we’d ever recover.
All I had were words from the ancient manuscripts that God could fix even this if we gave it to him and allowed him to do so. It was like line of light as thin as a strand of a spider’s web and wafting in the breeze surrounded by utter darkness. I grabbed hold of the strand, not even believing or daring to hope. All that was left of my faith was to clutch the strand with all I had; somehow God could fix this, but I couldn’t imagine how.
The single strand never broke, and God did heal our marriage. It’s foundation was remade stronger than ever before and became the platform from which we launch into the mission field. It took time, Christian counsel (both receiving and doing what we were told by couselors), forgiveness, and a commitment to unconditional love despite wrongs done. The strand never broke, and what was impossible to me, proved possible by God.
Most of us will go through dark times at one point or another that will shake our faith to the core. Perhaps it’s broken relationships like mine, or the death of a loved one, or finding out you have been diagnosed with cancer or another terminal disease, or just a long term illness. It could be an accident that leaves you or a loved one crippled, or an attack on your person of some sort that leaves you feeling violated, or perhaps a business failure. In a moment, your world has changed. You are no longer sure of anything.
To you, I give hope. God loves you more than you know. He will not leave you, and he will see you through this. That may seem to you as flimsy as a spider’s web. Just hold on anyway, it will not break.
