Hope

*Scriptures taken from Biblegateway.com

[Matthew 7:7-12]

This is one passage that encouraged me for a long time, and I'm certain those of you familiar with it were encouraged as well. Recently, passages like these didn't cut as deeply as they used to, separating between what I want and what I need, between how I feel and what I know to be the truth, between the soul and the spirit [Hebrews 4:12].

I had slipped into a state of depression. Really, it was more of a time of frustration and anger. Too many nights were spent with tears in my eyes, telling my roommate that I was going to bed because I was tired when it was really an escape from the day. When I had the room to myself, I'd find myself yelling and screaming with God, asking why things were happening to me, begging Him to leave me alone but at the same time crying out, "Don't take your presence from me!" [Psalm 51:11].

From messages sent to me, I know a lot of you ladies have gone through the same. Sometimes, God does things that leave us so broken. Some of you do the right thing and deal with it immediately. Others, like me, repress it until it erupts, spewing out harsh words and damaging thoughts that leave your life in ashes. But we serve a God who would, if we allow, turn ashes into beauty [Isaiah 61:3].

For too long I couldn't believe it. I had faith for the moment, but not for the next; when things wouldn't work out immediately, I raised so many questions. After all, countless times in Mark we would the immediacy of the Lord's work, so God must be a God of now. And "now" was when I needed Him. But, oh, how dark were those moments! I should have held dearly to the Word of God, letting it be a lamp to my feet and a light to my path [Psalm 119:105]. But rather I cried out to God, entreating Him with "Why's?" and "How come's?" and even a few "How dare You?" Some of you have been in that place. Some of you are there right now.

But I implore you, sisters, with a Word that has comforted me time and time again: Psalm 42:11. So many times, we have to utter the words the sons of Korah use here. We have to speak to our spirit and force it to focus on God, asking "Why are you downcast? Hope yet in God!" He is surely the help of our countenance. We saw in a previous devotional how God has proven Himself by showering us in grace (see "Grace-based obedience"). If He has helped us when we didn't deserve it, how much more will He help when we do? Our own parents would do at least that much. Then how much more will our Father in heaven? [verse 11].

Listen carefully, sister. I want you to know that it's okay to hope. I know there are pessimists out there - I'm one of them. I wake up feeling good and know instinctually that it's going to be a bad day. It has to be; things always get worse before they get better.

That is something we all can believe - that eventually it will work out. But we need to hope for now just as much as we have faith for the future. Even if we don't see it now. Hope is, after all, what prayer is. All the asking, seeking, knocking of prayer is hoping in God to get us through now. How though? One verse comes to mind: "Set your minds on things which are above, not on earthly things." [Colosians 3:2] That, again, should be what happens when we pray. We shift our eyes upward and try to see things from God's perspective. It is then that God reveals His divine purpose for our present problem. It is then that we receive, find, and have the door opened (verse 7).

And as we begin to see things from God's perspective, it becomes easier to hope. And as we hope, we can say as the psalmist said, "For I shall yet praise Him." Our worship is free to take reign in the midst of our difficulties. We all know that in worship we have the victory, even if it does not take on the form the world and flesh expect. Because as we worship, we have peace even in chains [Acts 16:25]. The watching world will wonder why, just as the prisoners did with Paul and Silas, and we can share our hope with them. You see, God did have a greater purpose after all. Trust Him. He has not failed us yet.

God bless,
Alisha