Friday, October 25, 2013

{ hope }

What does hope look like to you? If you're like me, hope takes on new meaning with each new situation in life. I used to think that having "hope" meant holding onto a wish or desire, believing that it will come true.  Then life threw a dozen curveballs my way and suddenly I was left asking God what having hope  REALLY looked like. I came to understand, through reading scripture and one of my favorite books "Reign on Me by Holly Gerth", that hope is not a wish to be granted. Having hope means holding onto God's promise that no matter what happens in life, He W I L L carry you through it. Not only will He pull you through, but you will be transformed by Him because of it. Don't get me wrong, it is perfectly fine to have hope that a desire, such as having a family, will come true in His time. However, I am learning, by experience, that maybe my hope shouldn't be rooted in MY desires, but by His alone.

 I saw this the other day and thought it was pretty neat.  Though, as a I keep looking at it, I have a little bit of a problem with it. The pain from some trials are so deep that they will NOT end. I do believe that the grieving pain and depth of pain from a loss will eventually taper off, but in all reality, there are certain situations that life throws our way that in which 5 months, 5 years, or 50 years from now will still be painful to revisit. However this fits into your situation, I still think the above picture is awesome- even if I still struggle with some of the details.


Above all- we have Hope in Him that he will carry us through whatever life hands us- good or bad.  No matter what my dreams or your dream is- His plans are better, through heartache and happiness!

Romans is a great book of the bible filled with HOPE verses:

" For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience"  8:24-25

"Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope for the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces HOPE, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." 5:2-5


What does hope look like to you right now? I'm praying for your understanding of hope in your situation whether it be good or bad. Know that no matter what you have been through or are currently walking in- He WILL carry you through!

-Kristin