Hope Arises

On the best day things may be going well in meeting deadlines, conversing with difficult customers and tackling project milestones. Outside of work, your relationships are stronger and sweeter even when there is a disagreement or conflict, it almost always gives way to an agreeable atmosphere. Still you can laugh and enjoy the moment together because there is a sense of support and care.

You may be a person who rarely feels down or depressed, but still there is a moment for everyone when the weight of life presses down on your shoulders. Many do well in navigating these times when life feels low and cloudy. Others only sink like a stone to the bottom of murky waters, weighted down by an overwhelming sense of failure and despair.

The Psalmist writes in Psalms 42:1, "Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God."

When we are downcast and find ourselves in a dark and isolated place, we need to ask God to guard our hearts from any accusations of Him abandoning or leaving us on our own to figure it out. While we remain surrendered to His care, He is still at work and in complete control over every area our lives. Take comfort beloved, God is familiar with all of our ways. Not one tear, a hidden sigh in the heart or downcast glance is lost on God. He fully understands what is happening in that moment in our hearts and how it makes us feel.

Our response is to place our hope in Him.

How do you find hope when everything around is failing? Relationships are painful and fear abounds in being left behind? Your job is at stake because you can't keep up the pace? Or spending time in prayer and reading God's word seem almost futile against the raging lust you battle?

To overcome despair is to place our hope in a Person, Jesus Christ. Beloved, let's consider these moments when we are down as an opportunity to finally put to rest there is no other relief, comfort, or answer except in Christ. We exhaust and frustrate ourselves in seeking out some other solace, something to lift our spirits. When we experience sad, stormy weather in our soul, let the Lord be our anchor of hope(Hebrews 6:19).

Behold, the eye of the LORD [is] upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy. Psalms 33:18 (KJV)