How to Practically Put Hope in Jesus
What Are You Hoping In?
When my husband died of cancer my entire world turned into a black hole. And I don’t mean that metaphorically. I literally saw black when I looked into my future. I had a vision, everyone does, of what my life would be like being married to Benji. We had plans, hopes and desires. We could see the days ahead when our boys would be grown and our freedom would slowly return. The kids would one day be in school and I would be able to go back to work and life would really start. Not that we didn’t have a fulfilling and love filled life before but it was hopeful right? We had HOPE for our future.
Do you know what happened one week after the boys were finally in school all day? He left. He left me. Alone. A widow. An only parent now destined to do it all on my own. Did I feel abandoned? You betcha. We had agreed to do this together and now I was utterly alone. Those first weeks and months of grief are something that no words can describe. It was utter hopelessness at its worst. What do I do with all those hopes and dreams, visions of our future? Where do I put them? What happened to them now? Even as I write this I still don’t know. But what I do know is truth and the truth is the WORD OF GOD and HIS promises. He promises a hope and future even when it looks so bleak. I’ve seen it, felt it, lived it.
Fast forward over 7 years. The black hole has not left. It is still there. Those dreams I had with Benji are still lost in the abyss of time. But I no longer live there. I have moved away from despair and hopelessness and God has put a new hope in my heart. It has shifted and changed and now I have a different vision for my life. A life that is absolutely opposite than I ever thought. It is a surreal way to live knowing that my life would be so drastically different if Benji would have survived cancer. I often think about it, but that’s all it is. A thought.
Living life as a mother of 4, remarried widow, life has calmed down and the complexities of my grief have morphed into something manageable. However, with that doesn’t come any less difficulty in the day to day, I just am better able to see how God miraculously works all things for good, no matter what.
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28
What is Your Truth?
Where do you look for solid, life giving, never shifting, never defeated TRUTH? In our current culture truth is all relative. The culture tells us that we make our own truth. We steer our own ship. We make our own plans. But is any of that solid and unchanging? I have recently been a part of an online workout program. The trainer, although incredibly skilled and motivating, spends a good part of the 30 minutes encouraging everyone to “take control” of their life. She is right that we do have the power of choice however, are we the sole source of truth and control in our own lives? It can work…..until, it doesn’t. Until we fail. Until that thing that we have put our hope and trust in crumbles or we just can’t pull ourselves together to continue on.
Don’t get me wrong, many people are “successful” in life who don’t rely on God but do they truly live with a peace knowing that if it all crumbled they would still have somewhere to stand? Then where do we put our hope? My question to you is……have you built your house on shifting sand or solid ground?
2 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Matthew 7:24-27
God in TRUTH. There is not one example of scripture that can prove otherwise. Aligning our choices, decisions and plans under the light of God’s word, the Bible, is the only, truly the only, thing that is solid in this world of uncertainty. Especially now with so much political unrest and hypocrisy. We can hope that our new president will make it alright but is that even possible with the level of corruption in our world? Let’s today, put our hope in the one who can make it right and promises that one day he will. JESUS!
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 2 Corinthians 4:16-17
This world, our lives, our problems are temporary. Let’s put our hope in what we cannot see and know that we have hope in heaven, in something beyond the terror we feel and see every day. Beyond our long, hard days. With this hope we can live in peace and joy no matter WHAT is happening in and around us… we have a future on earth and in heaven.
God gave us the power of free will and choice so the choice is yours. Cling to the shifty truth of the world or the real truth of Jesus!
Let’s Get Practical
These are pretty words but how in the world do we activate this in our lives? We PRAY and we READ the Bible. Every decision that you make, bring it to God, shine it under the light of His WORD. Does this decision align with the truth of God’s word? Is that purchase, investment, decision for your kids glorifying God and standing up under biblical principals? Sometimes its not so black and white.
However, when we trust in the Lord and pray for guidance and wisdom, He will make our path straight. Even if we make a mistake, which we will, He can repurpose that mistake for good, so you know you are covered. God is covering you and protecting you. Even when things fall apart and you wonder how God would ever allow it, like losing a spouse, remember that EVEN in the devastating and confusing God is in control and when you put your life in His hands you can trust Him. If you aren’t trusting the Almighty God then you are trusting yourself or the world and that will only topple in the sand.
Cling to JESUS! He has you no matter what!
