Fear the Lord Your God: A Man’s Journey to Holding Fast Through Trials

Frank Wible
Sep 18
3 min read

Jacob had built his life on grit and determination. As a contractor, he took pride in building homes that stood strong, and he believed his own life was just as solid. His hard work earned him respect, steady income, and the admiration of his peers.

Jacob’s business crumbled with the market crash, leaving him empty-handed and questioning the foundation of his life.

But when the housing market crashed, Jacob’s business went under almost overnight. Projects dried up, debts mounted, and men he had once employed were left without work. His confidence crumbled with every bill he could not pay.

At the same time, his marriage strained under the pressure. Arguments replaced laughter. Trust grew thin. Jacob, who once seemed unshakable, now felt like a man sinking in quicksand with no one to pull him out.

One night, he sat in his truck outside his empty job site, gripping the steering wheel as tears fell. He whispered a prayer he wasn’t sure God would even hear. “Lord, I can’t do this anymore. Show me what to hold on to.”

That same week, a friend invited him to a men’s Bible study. Reluctantly, Jacob went. There, he heard Deuteronomy 10:20–21 read aloud: “Fear the Lord your God and serve him. Hold fast to him… He is the one you praise.”

The words struck deep. Jacob realized he had been holding fast to his own strength, his money, and his reputation. All of it had failed him. But God was inviting him to hold fast to something greater, Himself.

That night, Jacob went home and read the verse again and again. Fear the Lord your God. Hold fast to Him. He realized that reverence for God was not about terror, but about surrendering his trust to the only One who never fails.

The verse became a lifeline — fear the Lord your God and hold fast to Him became Jacob’s anchor when all else failed. — The verse became a lifeline; fear the Lord your God and hold fast to Him became Jacob’s anchor when all else failed.

Slowly, Jacob began to change. Each morning, instead of reaching for his phone, he opened his Bible. He prayed not just for work to return, but for the strength to remain faithful no matter what came.

Small jobs trickled back in. They weren’t glamorous, but Jacob did them with honesty and prayer. For the first time, he wasn’t working to rebuild his reputation, he was working to honor God. His marriage, though strained, began to heal. As his wife watched him lean into faith instead of frustration, her heart softened. They began praying together, something they had never done before.

One day, Jacob was offered a new contract, smaller than past projects but enough to provide stability. He praised God, not for the money, but for the reminder that it was God’s hand, not his own, that provided.

Jacob’s reputation slowly shifted in the community. People spoke less about his wealth and more about his character. He became known not for what he had lost, but for how he had endured.

At men’s gatherings, Jacob would share his story. “Brothers, I thought I was strong. But I had to lose everything to learn what real strength is. Fear the Lord your God, and hold fast to Him, that’s where life is anchored.”

Though scars remained, Jacob now saw them as reminders of God’s wonders. He realized that God had not abandoned him in the collapse, but had met him in it and reshaped his faith.

His story became a testimony that echoed Job’s truth and Moses’ command alike: fear the Lord your God, hold fast to Him, and you will discover a strength that no storm can break.

What helps you hold fast to God in trials?