Hope (v): to expect with confidence. I'm sure at some point in our lives most, if not all, of us have felt completely hopeless. We felt like there was honestly no way the situation we were in could get any worse and then, like the sun peaking over the horizon there was Hope. It was just a small sliver at first but your spirits lifted and you turned your eyes toward Heaven thanking God for pulling you back up, out of the darkness.
But maybe you're still there, lost, hopeless, and feeling completely alone. Maybe your questioning God and your faith. Maybe you just lost someone very dear to you and you honestly don't know if you will be able to cope. Maybe your best friend just moved away. Maybe your boyfriend or girlfriend just broke up with you. Maybe your child is sick and you feel like there's nothing you can do. Where do you turn? How do you pray? Does it seem like God has left you? Well let me tell you something that you may have heard before, there's hope. There's Hope for your situation even though I know that in the moment there really doesn't seem to be any way this could get better. There's Hope.
You might say to me, "Katelyn, you have no idea what I'm going through. How can you say there's Hope?" You know what, you're right, I may never understand fully the pain that you are in but I can tell you about someone who does. His name is Jesus. Jesus Christ, the Son of God. He knows, he understands what it feels like to be completely and utterly alone. His very own Father turn his back on Him along with the rest of the world.
Mark 14:35&16 He (Jesus) went a little farther away and fell to the ground. He prayed that, if it were possible, the awful hour awaiting him might pass him by, "Abba Father," He cried out, "everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering (The Cross) from me. Yet, not my will but thine be done." Mark 15:33 &34 At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until tree o'clock. Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?" Which means, "My God, My God, Why have your forsaken me?"
Every time I read that it breaks my heart. Jesus, The Son of God, The Light of the World, The Holy, Perfect, Lamb of God, did that for me. He went to the darkest, loneliest, most hopeless place so that I will never have to know or experience what it's like to be completely alone and Hopeless. Jesus makes us a few promises; John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world." Hebrews 13:5 ... For God has said, "I will never leave you or forsake you." That is where I find my Hope. I know that there have been and will be times where I don't understand why God is allowing something hard to happen in my life, but I can have Faith and Hope because I know the Jesus has already been there and is walking with me through it. There will be times when you might not hear God or feel him but I am confident that when you cry God will hold you tight and cry with you. When he's silent he's still holding your hand.
There is no promise that God will always show you why something hard is happening but that's where Faith comes in. We will know in God's time, we might not know until we get to Heaven but we can take comfort in the Fact the God has our best interest in mind... even in our darkest days. You are never alone, and that's a promise you can take to the bank.
God bless each and every one of you. You are in my prayers and safe in the palm of God's hand. Have a great week!
