Hope

iPhone snapshot after our recent blizzard

"Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the LORD." 

Psalm 31:24

"Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, on those who hope in His mercy." 

Psalm 33:18

"Why are you cast down, oh my soul? and why are you disquieted within me? hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God." Psalm 42:11

"For You are my hope, O Lord GOD; You are my trust from my youth." Psalm 71:5

"But I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more." Psalm 71:14

"I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I do hope." Psalm 130:5

"Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God." 

Psalm 146:5

HOPE. Such a short word. Only four letters. But that one little word makes a world of difference in daily life.

Hope is what we crave. 

Love this song by for KING & COUNTRY

It's presence means joy, peace, dreams, and optimism.

It's absence means depression, anger, defeat, and gloom.

With everything in me, I've been fighting for hope lately. "The most wonderful time of the year" has been challenging and I'm fighting for the wonderfulness. There have been many happy moments.

Food, family, fun, fellowship, snow...

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD." Jeremiah 17:7

"Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I hope in Him!' The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should hope and wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man to bear the yoke in his youth." Lamentations 3:22-27

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5:1-5

"For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. Likewise the Spirit also helps us in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Romans 8:24-26

"Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality." Romans 12:9-13

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

"[Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 1 Corinthians 13:7

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen." Hebrews 11:1

And yet through all the happy moments and rounds of laughter and plates of deliciousness, has been an overwhelming sense of anxiety, fear, depression, and hopelessness.

Proverbs 13:12 says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life." And I have to say, that my heart has actually physically been hurting through all this "deferred" hope, crushed dreams, and uncertainties about the future.

My entire life is up in the air. Decisions are being faced that I thought were months out (at least). Relationships are not where I'd hoped they'd be.

As I fight this hourly battle, I'm reminded through these verses that the Lord alone must be my hope.

Not a job.

Not a bank account.

Not a home.

Not a car.

Not a boyfriend.

Not resolved family issues.

Not renewed health.

Not amazing friends.

Not staying out of the hospital.

Jesus is the reason I live and breathe. 

Amazing song by Casting Crowns.

It must be Jesus. Only Jesus.

His love.

His kindness.

His joy.

His strength.

His provision.

His plans.

His protection.

His comfort.

His peace.

Jesus. He is HOPE.