HOPE

Isa 40:29-31

²⁹ He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

³⁰ Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

³¹ but 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.

Hope that is in the Lord strengthens. This sort of hope can only come from God alone.

Hope that is found in anything else, work, studies, money, material things, friends, or even families, will not strengthen. This is what I have been experiencing over the last few weeks. Sometimes in some things in life, when you look at it with your human eyes, you feel that the hope of changing it for the better, seems really bleak.

Recently when I was working with some of my families, I realise that some of the situations they are in, seems really hopeless, and at times when I talk to them, I empathise with them so much that I feel "dragged in" into their hopelessness. And I have been just casually praying that God will help me to somehow be hopeful in the work that I do, so that it is hope that I can bring to the families, even in their hopelessness. Although I found it really hard to do it practically, I wanted to trust God for it. Amazingly then, with one family that I was supporting, they were in huge financial crisis, and I've been looking everywhere to see what more could be done to support them. I've been praying for God to bring Hope and strength to the family, and they recently received new funding, and hopefully with this new funding, it may help tide the family through. When I looked back at it, I realise that God's hand is upon it. This injected faith into my heart to start praying for all the families that I'm supporting, and trusting that God will bring the best to the families. Even though, I may not be able to openly encourage them to have hope in God, but that I can pray that God will bring hope into the situation.

Anyway, this challenge me to trust and have hope in God even for all that I am in. And truly, only when the hope is in God, then one will find that strength to keep going on. It is when my hope is placed in God, that I find the new strength to wake up every morning, and keep on doing what I would love to do for God. It is when my hope is upon God's heart, that I will understand how He will guide and lead me through my sufferings.

Hope in God.........what can i say, keep that hope always in the Lord, for when we are tired, stressed, overwhelmed, upset, disappointed, discouraged, hurt, that we know that God's hope is always strong and will always help us to arise in that new day, with new hope, that He will bring us through. Take heart, and continue to hope in our Lord.