WHEN HOPE FEELS WEAK

The psalms are written for every mood we have and certainly as caretakers our

hope can be downcast. What looks like the end of your strength is often the beginning

of God’s renewal. Can you look with eyes of faith, that the Lord is restoring hope, with a

secure reminder that God’s love is surrounding you each moment? We pray that His

promises revive our spirit and strengthen our hope, particularly when our spirits are low.

Instead of being hard on us for being ‘out of sorts,’ let us, like David, the author of

this psalm, seek God’s presence in verses 3-4, “My soul thirsts for God, the living God.

When can I enter and see the face of God? My tears have been my bread day and

night, as they ask me every day, ‘Where is your God?” From my personal experience, I

know God welcomes my honesty and when I am struggling, I am assured that God’s

timing will fulfill my hope.

Obviously, it is usually about ‘waiting’ for God’s timing and trusting the Lord’s

working it for good, no matter how long it takes. Gratefully, we see and hear the face of

God in family and friends sharing their words of wisdom that, even if our heart aches,

we can trust He is gently guiding us forward.

Whether it is our loved one’s health or our own, grief at losses experienced or

other difficulties, we need to believe that even the painful parts of our story can bloom

into something unexpectedly beautiful. We are renewed in the words of Isaiah 40:31,

“They that hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will soar on eagles’ wings;

they will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint.” The God of the impossible

asks us to trust, looking to Him, not the circumstances. It can be normal to lose heart

occasionally, but we do not want to stay there for any length of time.

Let us find hope in two of the Seven Spiritual Gifts of Waiting by Holly Whittcomb,

“The Gift of Living in the Present Moment – Calls us to be here now; invites us to

relinquish worry: allow us to say it is enough; teaches us to be faithful in small things.”

The Gift of Compassion – Reminds us that we are not alone; allows us to be seen for

who we really are; helps us gather strength from others, give us hope.” While our hope

might be weak, it is still active and alive within, in the main because God has proved

trustworthy for so much of our lives. Because He lives, we can face tomorrow. There

might be moments when we feel downcast and our prayer will be that our hope will

motivate positive action.

Psalm 71 v. 9, 12, 18, say “Nothing can make him despair as long as God is with

him.” Then in v. 14-16, “The future is full of hope.” May we always have hope!