Listen:
“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His Word, I put my hope” – Psalm 130:5 (NIV).
“…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.” – Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)
Reflect:
One lesson I learnt living with chronic illnesses for more than twenty years was that I must hold fast to hope. My life depended on it. Hope was to my soul what oxygen was to my diseased lungs.
Hope developed in me what my doctors referred to as a fighting spirit; a spirit that refuses to accept the sentence of limitations doctors frequently gave me. Hope fueled my spirit to contend earnestly against the gloom that tended to follow devastating news. That hope was anchored on the word of God. His promises brought hope to me in the valley of the shadow of death.
Hope energizes the spirit and renews our resolve not to give up or give in to despair. Hope will lift you on eagles’ wings and make you soar above the storms. Hope is not a denial of reality. But hope adjusts your focus and fix it on the infallibility of the promises of God. Hope reminds you; “it won’t always be like this.” Hope gives light in darkness.
Now I am on the other side of the storm. I boldly recommend hope anchored on the truth of God’s Word to anyone going through challenging situations. Finding purpose in the pain helps to keep hope alive. Giving up on hope is not an option even when the waiting seems long. Keep your hope alive with the fuel of the word of God. The reality of the situation is subject to change, and it will be for good.
Prayer or Response:
Heavenly Father, thank You for being the Rock of impregnable strength upon which we can anchor our hope. Thank You for the confident assurance we have that those who put their hope in You will never be ashamed. Thank You for the light of hope shining in the dark tunnel of trials and afflictions. Grant us the grace to hold fast to hope in the fierce storms when the billows roar and the torrents pour.
—Submitted by Irene Olumese
Irene is a lung transplant survivor, a bilateral amputee, and a living proof of God’s grace. She is the Founder of the Feet of Grace Foundation, which provides prosthetic limbs to indigene amputees. Irene speaks and writes to inspire hope for those going through life’s adversities. She lives in Geneva, Switzerland, with her husband, Peter, and their two adult sons.
ROL = Rhythm of Life. Our reflections for 2020 are themed around framing and forming a personal Rhythm (Rule) of Life as a Lifesprings community.
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