We desire a lot of things in life, some desire acceptance, some adoration, some even desire power but there are only two things we really need and that is: grace and love. These two things are fundamental, but where would we even have started with our journey towards wholeness and redemption if it was not for hope. Hope is where it all begins.
Hope is sometimes given a little less, though when it comes to what we need to get through our hardships. We seem to forget that it’s even there when we need to walk where we cannot see and swim when our feet can’t seem to find solid ground.
With all that life brings, many of us fight to the point of exhaustion, we relive disappointment too many times, we start to believe that there really is no light at the end of this tunnel, and hope, the very thing that was driving us, now becomes the reason for our pain and we realise that if we abandon hope, we wouldn’t have anything left to lose. When we finally give up and let go of that rope, we fall right to the bottom of a lonely little place called Hopelessness.
Hopelessness is the deepest part of despair, its where the hurting stops, its past anger, past frustration and it’s where the yearning for relief and comfort is forgotten. Hopelessness is the end, it’s the bottom and its where you don’t even look up to search for the light anymore. Here the only thing left is the darkness of the void you are caught in.
Maybe you have found yourself there, maybe you are there now, I know I lived there for some time and I know that the emptiness comforts and kills you at the same time. Your tears have dried up and you just walk in circles, putting one foot in front of the other, but you are not forgotten, you may think that no one has realised that you’re there, but someone did. “and His name will be the hope of the world” (Matthew 12:21).
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) The all-consuming, eternally sustaining light rose from the dead, He stood up out of darkness, He can breathe life back into dead bones, bring beauty from ashes and there is no pit deep enough that He cannot reach into. He knows you by name, He has never lost track of you and He laid down His life just to have you.
He is the hope that finds us when we are lost, the Hope that carries us to the surface and the Hope that never runs dry. “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him. Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken. My salvation and my honour depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge, trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, God is our refuge” (Psalms 62: 5-8)
We were lost but now we are found, not because we were looking to find Him, but because He wanted to find us. Jesus gave us a reason to believe again, a reason to have hope again and not only that, but He came to give us the most important recipe, one which will take us through any storm, the deepest water, the darkest nights and the toughest battles, Jesus came to teach us faith.
Faith is this: Hebrews 11:1 “Faith is being sure of (trusting) what we HOPE for. It is being certain of what we do not see” What does this mean? This means when we are in a dark place and we see no way out, when the walls are caving in and fear rushes in, TRUST that the hope you have in Christ Jesus will not disappoint you. Trust in God because He has promised you: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews13:5), “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”.
(Isaiah 41:10) “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” (Isaiah 43:2) “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
(Isaiah 54:10) “No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” (Isaiah 54:17) “I am your God and will take care of you until you are old and your hair is grey. I made you and will care for you; I will give you help and rescue you.” (Isaiah 46:4)
Our God is not a liar, our God is not a failure and He never changes. Faith is hope AND trust, not just the one or just the other, but both. The more you perfect this recipe in your life, the more you will see Him in everything. May you learn to give Jesus more than you can afford to give of yourself so that you may see that He gave everything, down to His last breath, to heal you, to love you, to save you and take you home to the Father. There is no greater love. Amen.
Miryna van As