Not going to lie… Sometimes the events of this world make my hope begin to falter.
It is just too much. Things are falling apart at the seams and I am like “Seriously? Enough already. Come, Lord Jesus, come!”
But hey. We are still waiting.
It is ridiculous how the enemy of soul will do everything in his power to poke a hole in our hope. Our courage to keep on believing slowly leaks away like a deflated balloon a week after the birthday party.
“Why try? It’s not like things are changing…”
“See, your efforts mean nothing… it is just too hard.”
“Go on. You have worked hard enough. Live out your frustrations.”
“You know how to fix this. Do it.”
Lies. Lies, lies, lies, lies, lies!
But do you notice something about these lies? They aren’t blatant in-our-face lies like an arrow popping a balloon. They are an almost invisible pin-prick. Barely noticeable, but oh-so-capably of draining our courageous faith.
Sometimes, the only remaining element to our courageous faith is that deep well within our soul where hope is found.
That place that Jesus Christ gently whispers, “Just hold on to me.”
Scripture speaks to hope in numerous places:
“But in spite of this, there is still hope…” ~Ezra 10:2
“You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.” ~Job 11:18
“No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame…” ~Psalm 25:3
“May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you.” ~Psalm 25:21
“We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.” ~Psalm 33:20
“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” ~Psalm 43:5
“There is surely a future hope for you, and your hopewill not be cut off.” ~Proverbs 23:18
“…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. ” ~Isaiah 40:31
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~Jeremiah 29:11
Friends, I could go on and one and one. So much of God’s word about HOPE. Courageous hope.
That hope that still flickers even when the rest of the world is pitch black.
On a scale of 1-10, where does your big picture hope fall? Please, I ask you to share below in the comments (and feel free to leave a prayer request as well if you need to!)
Think of the devastation the disciples felt after Christ’s death. They thought their beloved friend, teacher and leader was gone forever.
Hope was snuffed out.
Until that stone rolled away.
Today, we live in the moment after the stone and wait His return on the White Horse.
So no matter how deflated we might feel, regardless to the lies whispered in our end, that cross on the hill far away gives us hope.
Hope to keep going. Hope to try again. Hope to breath in and out again. Hope to run after Jesus with our courageous faith.
Hoping in Him,
“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him…” ~Lamentations 3:25
Linking up today with my friend Kristin over at Three-word Wednesday and having a little Coffee for your Heart with Holley. Oh! And be sure to join our #EverydayJesus link-up community right here at 7 Days Time every Thursday!
