I've blogged on and off for years now. It's something I do as time permits when the mood strikes me or I'm encouraged by something that the Spirit urges me to share. For a few years this space has been dubbed "Raising Rylee and Bo." As life does, things have changed over the years and we're now going to add another little one into the mix to raise, the human kind that is (Bo walks on 4 legs not 2 for anyone confused). With a new season approaching it seems fitting to change things up at my little space in the world wide web. You'll see at the top of the screen the title is now "Daring to Hope." ***Edited to be changed to Flawed & Hopeful” because somebody else had the same blog title idea I did. Oops.** This is has almost become a bit of a mantra for me the last couple years. Life has thrown some curveballs at me, but even when I've taken a hit to the back God has remained faithful, His steadfast love has endured, and I've been able to rest in His mercies each and every day. This is why I dare to hope. I don't hope in this world, my abilities, or my circumstances. I hope in God, His goodness, and His grace. I wrote about this a while back and since I'm now shaping the blog around this phrase I'm reposting it below. I pray this space is a place of encouragement for anyone who visits and maybe occasionally entertaining as I share about my faith and growing family.
The following is from here.
"The thought of my suffering and homelessness is bitter beyond words. I will never forget this awful time, as I grieve over my loss. Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning." (Lamentation 3:20-23)
Hope is a beautiful thing. Yet, hope is not often found perched in the flowers when the skies are clear with the sun shining bright. Many times hope streams forth as a light in the darkness of the deep pit of brokenness, destruction, and loss. Hope is being able to declare something better is yet to come when life is so overwhelming it is "bitter beyond words." When everything around us feels hopeless, hope is expressed in crying out to a Father who hears us, gently lifts us out of the mud, sets our feet on the solid ground of His promises, and steadies us as we walk along (Psalm 40:1-2).
I don't say this from a place of having this hope thing all figured out. Life has thrown me curve balls that not only knocked my breath out, but knocked me flat on my face and sent me crawling into the corner of self pity and despair. I'm guilty of letting myself hop on the never-ending thought rollercoaster of despair. You know the ride - one tragic thought leads to another tragic thought and before you emerge from the self pity party of one the rollercoaster has come off the tracks sending everyone into the jungle lost forever. I can be so prone to fixing my eyes solely on my circumstances or my own weaknesses or inability to "pull myself up by my bootstraps." I am, and maybe I'm not the only one, prone to going way beyond Jesus's warning about worrying about tomorrow (Matthew 6:34) to an all out worry-fest about now until the end of time.
But God...
"The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each morning."
Stop. Take a breath. Soak in this Truth. Pray through it. Dwell on it.
The hope we have in Christ doesn't hinge on circumstances, ourselves, or other people. It hinges on Him. He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). Apart from faith in Him we are dead in our disobedience to God. We (and those around us) do what is right in our own eyes leading to destruction, anxiety, pain, sadness, injustice, etc. Oh but God, who is rich in mercy and loves us gives us life in Jesus by His grace through the gift of faith. Please, go read about the richness of God's love shown to us in Jesus found in Ephesians 2. We have overwhelming victory though Christ who loves us (Romans 8:37). Not just temporary victory. There is not lasting hope in temporary victory. Yes God can and does heal the sick, restore broken relationship, bring justice, and so on. Yet, more sickness can come, people can hurt each other repeatedly, and sometimes it seems cycles of injustice will never end. Even Jesus says, each day will have it's own troubles (Matthew 6:34). How I can so often relate to the psalmist, "For troubles surround me - too many to count! My sins pile up so high I can't see my way out. They outnumber the hairs on my head. I have lost all courage (Psalm 40:12)."
But God...
"I lift up my eyes to the mountains - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. (Psalm 121:1-2)
I wish that you could sit across from me at a coffee shop or on a comfy couch right now so I could relay this with a tone of care, love, and understanding. We don't have to lose heart, even when we deeply feel that we have lost heart. You may not can forget this awful time and you may grieve, but remember that God's faithful love never ends and His mercies are new for you each morning (Lamentations 3:20-23). God is near and He will be faithful to help (Psalm 34:18). It may not look the way we think is best, but we can rest in knowing He is good (Psalm 86:5) and His ways are perfect (Psalm 18:30). Turn your eyes from the troubles all around and even within you (2 Corinthians 4:18) and fix them on Jesus who loves you deeply enough to give Himself for you (Hebrews 12:1-2). You don't have to pull yourself together, He will lift you up and steady your steps (Psalm 40:1-2). Pour out your thoughts and emotions to God. When you don’t know what to say, know that the Spirit is interceding with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26). When everything feels out of control remember you are secure in Christ by the power of the Spirit (Ephesians 1:13), nothing can separate you from God’s love in Jesus (Romans 8:31-39), and He will never abandon you (Deuteronomy 31:6). Look to the hope of the day that is coming when God makes His home among His people to live with them for all eternity. The day that once and for all He will wipe every tear from our eyes, there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. Look to the day when all of these things will be gone forever (Revelations 21:3-4). Friend, in whatever has come and whatever lies before us, we can still dare to hope.