Having Hope

Sometimes life is just too hard.  Things are going along normally...even splendidly.  Then disaster hits.  A tragic accident.  A life-threatening illness.  Unspeakable tragedy.  First shock and disbelief.  Then the questions bombard us...questions we have; questions others have; questions we have for God.  We are shaken to the core and just can't comprehend it. Can't make sense of it.  Can't find our peace at all.

So what is a person to do? 

We draw on our inner strength.  We lean on each other.  We lean on the professionals, the ones here on earth who do their very best to help us.  We lean on total strangers.  We reach out...we reach up...we lean on the Everlasting Arms.  And if not for all the above, we would probably just drown in our sorrow,  fall off the cliff,  totally flounder under the pressure.

Our faith is tested...our faith is strained...our faith feels insufficient.  But then, we have a tiny breakthrough.  A person...a visit...a card...a verse...a word...a song...a tiny flicker of hope happens.  Sometimes so tiny it's hardly tangible.  But we find ourselves looking up and seeing a ray of light instead of total darkness...a little bit of joy...

Never ever doubt the power of pray-ers...the power of hope shared...the power of God.  We may not always get "yes," but God has not left us nor forsaken us.  He weeps right along with us.  He cares so deeply.  He knows how it feels.  For all his power and his might and his strength, his very nature is one of loving kindness...mercy...grace.

His presence is found in the prayers and praises of his people.  Those who intercede.  Those who carry their brothers and sisters.  Those who reach out and share the burden and try to divide the pain by bearing some of it.  Even the ones who are too overcome, weakened, and overwhelmed to even voice their concerns except to cry out to their Father.  He truly cares.  He hears.  He does.

God's Holy Spirit...intercedes...petitions...nudges...whispers...comforts...The blessed Trinity:  Father, Son, Holy Spirit.  Three in One, One in Three.  Oh, the sweet, sweet love of Jesus.  There is our peace.  There is our answer.  Praise God for his ever-present, everlasting, ever-conquering LOVE.  Love that passes all understanding.  Love that carries us through...across...out of the pit of despair.  Thank God that we do not have to really understand or to have the answers or even know which way to turn.  He is right here with us, giving us what we need, when we need it.  He is the source of our hope and our strength.  He is the God who is enough.