Learning to Lean and Depend on Jesus

Learning to Depend on Jesus –

Pastor Calvin Cook –

November 11, 2025

It might be because of the recent dive into the deep end of scripture concerning spiritual gift of discernment and listening to the speaking, urging and leading of the Holy Spirit. Or it just could be the thoughts of what it means to fully depend on God, in my own struggles of life and finding that way through the forest of life with so many voices shouting that brought me to the this place this morning of seeking an understanding of what it means to fully depend on God, not just lean on His in times of trouble and doubt.

I never really in this time through this deep dive into Isaiah 54 knew how to reason or understand the opening verse (vs 1) :

 “Sing, barren woman, you who never bore a child; burst into song, shout for joy, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband,” says the Lord. — Isaiah 54:1 (NIV)

But this morning I have gained some clarity – because I leaned into or depended on God to speak into my early hours of prayer – here is what I am experiencing, hearing this morning.

When Isaiah wrote these words, he was speaking to a people who felt barren — empty, forgotten, and without much hope. God’s people had lost their way, their hope, their joy and evidently their song. As the first word of the first verse is Sing. In the silence and agony of despair God says “SING !”

But how? How can I sing? How can I be joyous in the midst of so much. Still waiting to see the pain leave, still waiting for the promise to be fulfilled, still feeling like an empty vessel.

Here is the consolation to me today. This verse isn’t just about leaning on God when times are hard — it’s about learning to depend on Him completely. To lean on God is to seek support when you’re weary. To depend on God is to realize you cannot even stand without Him. This isn’t about who or what we will choose to depend on – those things not of God. Instead, it is about surrendering to God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit depending upon and trusting in the new thing God is trying to do in all of our lives.

The barren woman in Isaiah 54 represents anyone who feels unfulfilled, overlooked, or forgotten — yet God is calling us to rejoice. He reminds, that when we feel empty, we will feel comfort and the love of God, by just pausing to say, I am going to depend on you. Not maybe for God to wave His mighty power and do it for us, but show us the way, lead us through that valley of darkness even in the shadow of death to where once again we understand what it is to be in the holy presence of God. This is the place where our grace begins.

God isn’t just about meeting needs but creating new life more abundant than we can ask or imagine. And as we learn to depend on Him fully, we discover that the barren places of our souls become the birthplace of praise.

In closing this morning, through this time I’ve had to sit at the feet of Jesus and pray, praise God for never leaving me, and listening – I was taken back to that little country church I grew up in where I first heard these words from the hymn “Learning to Lean” :

“Learning to lean, learning to lean,

I’m learning to lean on Jesus.

Finding more power than I’d ever dreamed,

I’m learning to lean on Jesus.”

There is so much more – I have written in my personal journal but will close with this:

Perhaps today, God is calling us one step further — not just to lean on Jesus for strength, but to depend on Him for life itself. Leaning is a moment; depending is a lifestyle. The more we learn to depend, the less we fear losing control — because we finally realize He’s been holding us all along.

Dependence on God is not weakness –

It’s saying, “Lord, You are my strength, my song, my breath, my hope.”

It’s learning to sing in the silence and trust God in all the places of life we are in seeking the new hope and new thing God is doing and will continue to do in our lives, when we depend and trust in Him.

Prayer: Father, teach me not only to lean on You in times of need but to depend on You in every moment. When life feels empty, remind me that You are still working. When I cannot see fruit, teach me to sing in faith. Help me surrender my plans for Your purpose. May I depend fully on you, my great redeemer.  Amen.