Hope Against Hope
"Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no heed in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places”
(Habakkuk 3:17-19) 💛
I’ve written up a bunch of almost post lately, trying to express what’s going on in my heart, and in this season; but I just couldn’t find the words to say; so God found them for me. Friends, my heart is broken and in the words of Lysa Terkeurst “It’s not supposed to be this way” but it is.. so what do I do? What do we do when life isn’t the way we hoped it would be? When things don’t turn out how we thought they would? When prayers seem to go unanswered, when life seems to bring disappointment after disappointment. How do we have hope when everything around us says it’s hopeless... Jesus 💗
The apostle Peter writes this:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in Heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salivation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1: 3-5)
Jesus is our hope, a LIVING hope, He is the Author and Perfecter of our faith! He has the final say. Not depression, not heartbreak, not addiction, not failure, not anxiety, not trials, not sin, not even death! Jesus Christ is on my side, so whom shall I fear? For in my weakness, He is strong. In my darkness, He is light. In my failure, He is hope. In my sin, He is mercy. In my heartache, He is comfort. In every season and in every moment, He remains God and He remains good. He who was, and is, and is to come. This is my God, this is the God I know. This is the God who raises the dead, who brings dry bones to life, this is the God of miracles and He knows my name. He alone is worthy of every praise we could ever bring, for He who promised is faithful.
He STILL has a story for me, and for you. My heart is STILL beating, which means He is STILL alive in it, which means He has a purpose for me, which means His work in me and through me isn't finished yet. God isn't going to give up on you, even when you give up on you, or on Him. He loves you unfathomably more than you could ever dare to imagine and I'm tired of trying to write my own story, when the one He's got for me is so much better than I could ever ask or imagine. It's time to lay it all down at His feet, and to just be. His story is beautiful and I've got to start believing that it includes mine.
Jesus, have Your way in me. Let Your will be done. Lord, take it all, my life in Your hands. Help me to believe in You again, to trust You more, to love You and seek You Father with my whole heart. To be wholly Yours Jesus, as You are wholly mine. And thank You that You are, for Your mercy, grace, and forgiveness Lord. For Your comfort and for Your healing. For every season and every moment Father, for Your hand of faithfulness upon my life. Keep my eyes on You Jesus, and rid me of myself. It is in Your Unstoppable name I pray, Amen <3