Not a Guest Blog: Hope

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

When my daughter first started college at Clemson University in upstate South Carolina, three and half hours away from home, I packed her boxes and included Post it notes of encouragement. This bible verse was one of them.

I hate to admit it, but I didn’t really know how well-known it is and how it’s many people’s favorite verse. I just found it and loved it.

When I went with her to learn about clubs, the Lutheran representatives had the bible verse on the table. When we attended church and they had tables set up to enjoy snacks, “our” verse just happened to be part of the centerpiece of the table we chose. God knew we needed to hear those words again and again.

The wonderful thing is, it became our verse for her first year of college. When your daughter is one of your very best friends, watching her walk away to her dorm and going back to your car and driving away is very difficult to do. Every time I sent her a care package, those post-it notes were included and she kept them on her bulletin board for years (maybe still?).

Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you will all joy and peace as you trust in Him, that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Perhaps you are going through a difficult time right now, or maybe you’ve been going through a difficult time for a long time. I was shocked when, in a Psychology Club meeting, two beautiful very young ladies spoke about getting diagnoses of chronic illness. One of my colleagues has been suffering with two types of lupus for decades. Or maybe someone you love struggles with addiction or failure?

How does one find hope in this dark world?

#1 Look backward. Write down a time where God answered your prayers—or maybe make a whole list. Somehow, proof of past positives can reassure us, as they should.

#2 For now, accept. Easy for me to say, right? Actually, I have a situation right now in my life where I have to work every day to trust God. One thing I’ve been doing—that helps a little bit—is envision myself putting the situation in a box and handing it to the right where God takes it. I can’t take it back. He’s got it.

The other thing to do is find the humor in the situation, whatever it is. Another colleague of mine has a daughter with two rare diseases and she’s literally one of the few people on the planet with both. She’s the only one to make it past 30. Still, my colleague says, “if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry.”

So, let’s laugh.

#3 For the future.  Look forward to good things in the future—here on earth and in heaven. If somehow you’ve been taught heaven will be a boring place where we will stand around singing all day adorned in white robes, that’s not biblical.

Jesus has gone to prepare rooms for us. The renewed city of Jerusalem will be beautiful beyond compare and we will live in earth the way it’s supposed to be…all of the animal kingdom restored to peace.

And joy, so much joy.

Dear Readers, I hope that you have found a little bit of hope from this blog. Every day I pray for you and your families. Sorry this is late--my internet was out over the weekend!

Blessings,

Christina