By Danna Appleby

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Rom. 15:13 (NIV)

 

During some difficult months, the Lord began to give me what I called “word lessons.” For example, everywhere I turned a particular “word” would pop up in conversation or seemed to come at me from all directions to get my attention. These word lessons went on like that for some time.  The first word lesson I had was on “hope.” You see, I thought I had no hope and I was in a real battle.  In my world, things looked pretty hopeless.

I see now that God wanted me to know there was “hope” and that He would surely bring me out of what I was going through.  I sensed that He was speaking to my heart and saying, “Don’t give up!  You can make it with My help.  Trust Me!  I’ll be there for you because I am your hope.” 

One day totally out of the blue, I received a package from a church I had never attended some 35 miles away.  On one of the brochures inside the package were these words: “What would you do without HOPE?” Can you just imagine what I felt like when I opened the package and saw those words before me? I could have cried!  The brochure was filled with special words and Scriptures that gave comfort and assured me that God was well aware of my circumstances.  What I read was like a letter written to me personally.  There was also a Scripture from Matthew 19:26 that said that God is the God of the “possible” instead of the “impossible.”  That particular verse has become my theme. 

Was God extending His arms of love and mercy to show me that there was hope for my future?  (Jer. 31:17)  I believe He was.  After all, our God is a very real God and is looking after each of us.  He cares about what we’re going through and will go to great measures when He wants to get our attention.

As I look back over those long, hard months, I still think of the special package God ordained for me to receive.  The brochure on “hope” meant so much that I posted it at my desk so I could remind myself about what I felt God was saying to me. 

Do you see how God will use a multitude of methods to get His message across to His children?  Do you know how much God loves you?  Do you know how much He wants you to see that there is hope for you and understands what you’re going through?  The wonderful thing about our God is that He doesn’t show partiality to His children and will help you just like He helped me.  Remember that God delights in those who put their hope in His unfailing love.  (Ps. 147:11) 

Despite feelings of hopelessness at that time, I learned that I must “fix” my sights on having “hope” in the living God instead of what the situation was telling me.  But don’t listen to the negative words the enemy sends your way.  Keep believing that God is going to take care of your situation. 

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  2 Cor. 4:18

Another thing I found was that I had to constantly go to the Word of God to confirm my hope.  I began to focus on Scriptures that would speak life instead of death over my situation and words which gave me more hope than I could find in my heart to believe for.  I wrote down special verses and reflected on them over and over.  You must do the same because it will help you to gain strength. 

Despair is such a sad word and is filled with no faith that anything good can ever come out of your circumstances, but don’t believe a word of it!  Keep trusting in God to bring you out.  Believe me when I say that when we despair, we can’t see our way out of the long, dark tunnel.  God will let you see light if you trust in Him for the answer and if you let hope arise within you.  Remember God desires the best for you. 

Isaiah 40:31 tells us that those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

That verse in itself gives hope because it comes packed with a promise that if we hope in the Lord we will have our strength renewed.  Praise God that He is our hope!    

Why am I downcast, O my soul??  Why so disturbed within me?  Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.  Ps. 42:11

THE SOLID ROCK

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.

In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

Chorus:                                             

On Christ the solid Rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand

 Father, I praise You today for what you have done in my life.  I thank you that you have come to my rescue on many occasions to give me hope when the circumstances around me looked so hopeless.  You were there for me Lord, and I praise you.  I pray  for all of my friends and family who need your help and are going through situations that look very bleak.  I know You will help them.  Thank you for all you do for us Father for You are our hope.  In Jesus’ Name.  Amen.