Last week, I struggled with hope. Not with having it but with trying to explain it. I needed to write a devotional on hope. Examples weren't hard to come by. Neither was the Reason for my hope. But the task---attempting to put into words why hope continues in the face of bad news or after years and years of hoping for the same thing---seemed impossible.
For instance, I know that at least five of my friends are currently struggling with infertility. Each couple longs to have a child. I'm not sure what each couple's "hope-ometer" reading is right now; more than likely, some readings are higher than others depending on the day.
I talked with one of those friends today, and her "hope-ometer" revealed that it was running on empty. She's recently received some difficult news, which made her question whether God loves her. She wondered why God would give her a desire and then not fulfill that desire. She asked whether I had hope that God would fulfill the desire on my heart.
In all honesty, I believe He will. I don't know when or how; I just have the hope that He will. I don't know how God fills up my "hope-ometer"; I just know that He can and that He does. I guess I would equate it with knowing that God can and does heal people, but I don't understand how He does it. Sometimes the healing is instantaneous, and sometimes it takes years, like with my friend Bekah.
I'd love to hear what y'all, my faithful readers, think. What do you know to be true about hope? How have you continued to hope in the face of despair? You don't have to leave your name, but don't be shy about answering.
6 comments:
Awww... thanks for the link. Funny how our lives seem to run in parallel lines.
Having been on that same quest for a child- a true emotional roller coaster- I can say my hope in a GOOD God was all that kept my mind out of the pit. Hope in God will NEVER disappoint. His Word is chock FULL of hope and brought more comfort than ANY doctor's prediction or appointment. For me, infertility was my greatest opportunity to know Him better.
B - You're welcome! I hope our lives intersect in person one day!
KS - Your comment will be an inspiration to my friends who are struggling with infertility. Thanks for spreading encouragement, giving hope, and pointing others to Him.
The correlation between our hope and God's response is not as direct as we would like it to be. Too often, we act as if our hope (and/or faith) regarding something we desperately want guarantees or even obliges God to bring it about. This is not the case. The one thing God has always promised to do is to bring us closer to himself. That is miles away from someone becoming pregnant or healing a disease. When a person remains infertile or dies of cancer, God is still good. He didn't let them down or break His promises. We have to ensure our greatest hope is in God's guaranteed promises rather than what we want. Importantly, we must remember our desires do not all come from the Father. The heart is deceitful. When the Psalms talk about God fulfilling the desires of our heart, that is addressing the desires God has placed on our heart. This is not talking about the desires we have that God would then be obligated to fulfill. There is a world of difference between the two. I am off my soapbox now. This is not abstract for me. I lost the great love of my life to disease. God is still good. He always will be.
Allen Triblowski
Please disregard my previous comment. I have strong feelings about what I perceived was being communicated in a few of the other comments. No need to go off. The issue is important, but this isn't the best format for such a conversation, especially when I don't know any of you. Apologies extended. Please accept.
Allen - I wasn't sure if you wanted me to delete your comments. I thought they were valid and should be posted, so I hope that is okay with you. No need to apologize; I appreciate your insight and agree with what you said. Having re-read my posting, I can see that it was not written as clearly as it could have been. I by no means ever want to convey God as simply a wish granter or geenie in a bottle. That would go against Who He is: the great I AM.
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