Real Hope
Hope.
Without it we wither. Sometimes our circumstances make life seem hopeless. Things change, and the rhythm of life is interrupted. We find our backs against a wall, and don’t know which way to turn. At times like these, it may seem like all our efforts are in vain.
I have definitely felt this way, and I get frustrated. Sometimes I persistently try to achieve an outcome that never occurs. But then, God gently beckons me to turn in a different direction. Sometimes I get so focused on one pursuit, one goal, that I forget the world is a wide-open space with endless possibilities. I’m not an advocate of random and reckless wandering through life, but I definitely believe in hope. Not a random hope that amounts to nothing more than positive thinking, but a substantive hope in God. A hope that yields results!
What kind of hope is this? This kind:
“And we know that God works all things for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). I know that the circumstances of my life are no accident. I’ve given my life to Christ and am committed to following him. I love God and know that he’s orchestrating my life—yielding good for myself and others. Knowing this brings peace when things are hard or unclear.
“The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want” (Psalm 23:1). If I’m following his lead, God’s not going to leave me in need. This doesn’t mean I’ll only walk through fields of flowers (I wish!!). Sometimes he takes me through wilderness and desert, and almost always along paths that are new and unknown to me. But in every place and every season, he supplies what I need. That’s why I hear him say to me, just like he said to Joshua before conquering the promised land, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
When I trust enough to follow him in the hard times, he leads me to new places. My life becomes richer, fuller . . . better! And I do too. It’s an adventure that I have to remind myself to embrace—that everything’s going to be more than okay. When I do, I’m able to enjoy the ride and the outcomes that are “immeasurably more than all we [could] ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20).