Hope and Comfort · Emotional Healing

Losing hope?

7 min read, approximately

“Blessed is the person who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is the Lord. They will be like a tree planted beside the waters, spreading its roots toward the stream. They will not fear when heat comes, but their leaves will remain green; in a year of drought they will not be anxious or stop bearing fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)

Often, family problems, financial difficulties, the loss of possessions, or any setback that disturbs our peace makes us lose our bearings, even to the point of foolishly saying: Lord, where are you?!

In other cases, many grow tired of waiting and abandon their principles and faith, turning to the first thing that offers a “solution”. Yet God’s Word reminds us today that

“… without faith it is impossible to please God, for anyone who approaches God must believe that he exists and rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6)

Come on! Do not lose hope

The Bible mentions several people who decided not to lose hope until they were rewarded, but they all went through different stages before receiving the fulfillment of their promise. Let us take Abraham as an example and look at those stages according to the Word:

\1. The time of my reality versus God’s reality

“Abram and Nahor took wives. Abram’s wife was named Sarai, and Nahor’s wife was Milcah, daughter of Haran, the father of Milcah and Iscah. But Sarai was barren and had no child.” (Genesis 11:29-30)

“The Lord had said to Abram: Leave your land, your relatives, and your father’s house for the land I will show you. I will make you a great nation, bless you, make your name great, and you will be a blessing.” (Genesis 12:1-2)

At this stage, phrases like these are very familiar:

Has the Lord forgotten that I am the black sheep of the family? Lord, have you forgotten that I am in debt? Has the Lord forgotten that I cannot afford to study? Lord, have you forgotten that my marriage is falling apart? Has the Lord forgotten that my son is involved in crime and lost in alcohol and drugs? Lord, have you forgotten that I have a terminal medical diagnosis?

Let us pause… Had God forgotten that Sarai, Abram’s wife, was barren? How, then, would Abram become a great nation?… Remember:

“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said it, and will he not do it? Has he spoken, and will he not carry it out?” (Numbers 23:19)

\2. The time of doubt versus faith

“The Lord appeared to Abram and said: I will give this land to your descendants. And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.” (Genesis 12:7)

“After Lot had separated from Abram, the Lord said to him: Lift your eyes and look from where you are toward the north, south, east, and west. For all the land you see I will give to you and your descendants forever. I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth; if anyone can count the dust of the earth, your descendants can also be counted.” (Genesis 13:14-16)

“Abram answered: Lord God, what will you give me, since I remain childless and the steward of my house is Eliezer of Damascus? Abram also said: You have given me no offspring, and a servant born in my house will be my heir. Then the word of the Lord came to him: This man will not be your heir; a son of your own will be your heir. He took him outside and said: Look toward the heavens and count the stars, if you can count them. Then he said: So will your descendants be.” (Genesis 15:2-5)

Lord, when I left my father’s house I was 75 years old, and now I am 86!… At this stage, phrases like these are very familiar:

“We regret to tell you that the chemotherapy has not worked.” “Sir, we are calling to inform you that your payment deadline has passed and we will proceed with legal collection.” “I cannot go on with this; please sign the divorce papers.” “We are calling to tell you that your son is in prison.”

“Jesus said to him: If you can believe, everything is possible for the one who believes. Immediately the boy’s father cried out: I believe; help my unbelief.” (Mark 9:23-24) , “Jesus said to her: Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” (John 11:40)

\3. The time of apathy versus preparing to experience the promise

“Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham, because I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.” (Genesis 17:5)

“God also said to Abraham: As for your wife Sarai, you shall no longer call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah.” (Genesis 17:15)

“God answered: Surely your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you shall name him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.” (Genesis 17:19)

“Is anything difficult for God? At the appointed time I will return to you, at the time of life, and Sarah will have a son.” (Genesis 18:14)

“Whoever watches the wind will not sow, and whoever looks at the clouds will not reap.” (Ecclesiastes 11:4)

There is hope! Do not lose heart! Get up and get to work! God sends rain on the field, but the sower takes time to plant the seed! No one will do it for you… This is the moment when God expects us to act!

\4. The time of the promise

“The Lord visited Sarah as he had said and did for her as he had promised. Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the time God had told him. Abraham named the son born to him, whom Sarah bore, Isaac. Abraham circumcised his son Isaac when he was eight days old, as God had commanded him. Abraham was one hundred years old when his son Isaac was born. Then Sarah said: God has made me laugh, and everyone who hears will laugh with me. She added: Who would have told Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.” (Genesis 21:1-7)

At which of these stages have we become stuck?

The King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Only One, the Wonderful One, the Magnificent One, the Mighty Giant, longs for us to return to the fold if we have lost our way and to wait for him like a child:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

“For I know the thoughts I have toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of harm, to give you the end you hope for.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

_“And not only so, but we also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh stedfastness; and stedfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope: and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us.” (Romans 5:3-5 ASV)

“…and hope does not put us to shame…” “…and hope does not put us to shame…”!

_**Remember to stop by the Songbook

May God continue to bless you, and may you continue to have an excellent day in Christ Jesus!