It was a simple, short sentence. Just three words really.
But I’ve been haunted by them ever since.
Convicted by the lack of hope I left in their wake.
Has that ever happened to you?
You open your mouth, and out comes words that you regret the
moment they take wings and fly. Or maybe, you don’t feel it right away.
Perhaps, it takes some time for the uneasiness to settle into your
consciousness and ruffle your conscience.
But sooner or later, it pricks you.
You want to shine light and sprinkle grace with your words,
to point others to the hope you find in Christ, yet sometimes you do just the
opposite. You proclaim a death sentence. A chilling judgment that leaves no
room for hope, no encouragement to look for how God will show up, as He always
does.
Yes, I know, I understand. The situation looks dire. It has
been years and your loved one is still caught in a pattern of self-destructive
behaviour. Your bills keep outrunning your income, and you feel like you can’t
keep up. And as for your health, some days you don’t even have the energy to fight
on. But hear me, carefully. All is not lost.
God is still on His throne, and you are still His child. He
is working in ways you can’t even see, and He hasn’t lost sight of you or the
problems that plague you and your loved ones. In fact, He still has the whole
world in His grasp.
There is hope. Always hope.
I’m a firm believer that one cannot live without hope. And
there is no surer hope than the Hope found in God the Father and Jesus Christ,
His Son.
So, how do we keep this Hope front and centre? How does it seep
into our very beings, so much so, that it overflows in our words and actions?
As we bid farewell to 2021, and with it the second year of
the global pandemic, I’m choosing three simple R’s to hold onto Hope.
1) Reflect on God as Light
The words of John 1:5 seem to be stuck on full beam in my
mind.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. ~ John 1:5 (ESV)
I can sit with that verse for the whole day. It reminds me that
no matter how dismal or dark the world or our circumstances seem, darkness does
not win; God’s light always breaks through!
Sometimes, though, it’s hard to find the light. Sometimes,
it takes time for our eyes to adjust to the darkness, to search for the shards
of light breaking through. But they are always there. To help us see, we need
to take time to remember.
2) Remember the Goodness of God
When we glance back over the year, and our gaze descends on
the dark days, let’s look closely for the sparks of light. Let’s choose to
remember what God has done for us, how He showed up in merciful and surprising ways.
For instance, I think of the pain of losing my sister-in-law,
way too soon, and yet I remember God’s mercy to her and the light she shone so
brilliantly in her life and even in her dying. Yes, the pain is still there, even
overwhelming at times, but somehow by remembering God’s mercy, it becomes more
bearable.
Please don’t get me wrong, I am not trying to minimize or
disregard your pain, I’m simply reminding us to look for God. He has promised
never to leave us and when we look back and remember, we can see that He has
kept His word.
This is exactly why we rejoice.
3) Rejoice in the Steadfastness of God
Even when life feels uncertain, when everything around us is
changing, and we are struggling to find solid ground, we can rejoice. Why?
Because God is steadfast.
He never changes, He remains the Rock we can stand on, cling
to, and find shelter in. And He constantly pursues us with His unchanging love.
Even when we have failed to reflect Him, to use our words and actions to spread
hope, He offers us grace.
Nothing quite fills us with hope like rejoicing in the
steadfast love and faithfulness of God.
So, there you have it, my friend, nothing complicated, just
three simple R’s to help us hold onto Hope and shine light and sprinkle grace
wherever we go.
****************
What about you?
Do you need to take time to reflect, remember and rejoice
today?
Do you ever feel convicted by your hope-stripping words?
Don’t worry, God’s grace is sufficient for us all.
As we
reflect on God as our Light, remember His goodness and mercy to us, and rejoice
in his steadfast love and faithfulness, may the hope that He offers consume us.
May this Hope sink in deep and settle in the crevices of our
hearts, our minds, our very souls. May it touch everything in our lives, the
way we see the world, the way we interact with others, and especially the words
that we use.
May our hope-drenched words shower us and others with the
courage to keep on believing.
For isn’t that what we all need in this world? May God help
us all.
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Grace and peace be multiplied to you,
Carlie
