Hope When You See No Reason To

Hope When You See No Reason To 

“Why do I go mourning?” Psalm 42:9 NKJV 

Can you answer this, believer? Can you find any reason why you are so often mourning instead of rejoicing? Why yield to gloomy expectations? Who told you the night would never end in dawn? Who told you the tide of circumstances would go out until there was nothing left but miles of the mud of pain and poverty? Who told you the winter of your discontent would proceed from frost to frost, from snow and ice and hail to deeper snow and an even heavier storm of despair? Don’t you know that day follows night, that floodtide comes after ebb, that spring and summer succeed winter? Then hope! Hope forever! God will not fail you. Don’t you know that God loves you in the midst of all this? When the darkness hides them, mountains are as real as they are in the daytime—and God’s love is as true to you now as it was in your brightest moments. No father always disciplines his children; your Lord hates the rod as much as you do. He only uses it for the reason that should make you willing to receive it—namely, that it works a long-term good in you. You will still climb Jacob’s ladder with the angels, and behold the One who sits at the top—your covenant God. You will still, amid the splendor of eternity, forget the trials of time; you will remember them only to bless the God who led you through them, and worked your lasting good by them. Come, sing in the midst of tribulation. Rejoice even while you pass through the fire. Make the wilderness blossom like the rose! Cause the desert to ring with your shouts of joy, for these light afflictions will soon be over. Then, forever with the Lord, your happiness will never lessen. Faint not nor fear, his arms are near, He changeth not, and thou art dear; Only believe and thou shalt see, That Christ is all in all to thee. “Fight the Good Fight with All Thy Might,” John S. B. Monsell (1863) C.H. Spurgeon Morning and Evening 

In many times in my life, unfortunately, despair and disappointment, discouragement even, had been an unwanted, unwelcome companion.  Hiding it from others often was the way that I dealt with it.

If time travel were ever at all possible, as the first thing I would probably try to do, I would go back to the early point in my Salvation and have a good long talk with me. 

When facing what appears to be mountains in front and behind you, it's easy to feel weak and unsure of where to go or what to do. 

The song by Mercy Me, "Dear Younger Me" is along those lines. Yet another of their's is "Even If".  You should watch on YouTube the version of that song where Bart gives a short testimony as to where the words of that song came from. It has its roots in the heartbreak of what his child was going through that he couldn't change. 

A personal favorite in dealing with life that's not going well is Matthew West's "The God Who Saves". I, regardless of the acceptance of my audience on my vocal skills, love to sing to my Savior. I break down practically every single time I try to sing "The God Who Saves".

I am one who often feels like I was hardwired to troubleshoot things.  Learning new things whether or not I would ever use them is just a hobby. It's been funny to me how often someone asks me something obscure and I actually have an answer.

My worst success rate is when I try to troubleshoot me.  Maybe it's the forest for the trees problem.   But it can lend the mind to forget the successes in life that God has granted and make you dwell on a problem that's His to resolve, not yours. 

Recently we've been praying for something very specific.  In that doors appeared to be opening, it looked like maybe this was God's timing. Honestly it felt good, really good. Then in a simple email it appears that the door was closed. However, unlike in times gone by, this time it's like God's response is "Hold on, I am not done yet." 

Rather than going around in circles with what we think are our problems, get off the circus ride and keep our eyes on the author and perfector of our faith. Rather than give in to doom and gloom, give in to hope. God may not be done yet, but may in fact be waiting for you to react differently. 

Tests are performed in manufacturing to attest to something working as intended. 

There's times that we are allowed by God to be tested to show us, not Him, that we have come farther than we thought possible. There's no aspect of our life that Jesus doesn't already know about. Remember, at the Rapture, at the Final Judgment, in the times each person is before Christ, nobody is ever questioned about their reasons for any choice or decision they ever made.  Scripture says that He searches the hearts of men. Knows every thought and intention of our hearts. Knows our grief and our joys. He knows. 

We believe a lie when we sit and act like we are alone in any situation. That's not of God for any believer.  As I opened with, too many times I believed that.

My God is the God who saves, also the God who Stays.

The God Who Stays - Matthew West 

If I were You I would've given up on me by now
I would've labeled me a lost cause
'Cause I feel just like a lost cause

If I were You I would've turned around and walked away
I would've labeled me beyond repair
'Cause I feel like I'm beyond repair

Oh, but somehow You don't see me like I do
Somehow You're still here

You're the God who stays
You're the God who stays
You're the one who runs in my direction
When the whole world walks away
You're the God who stands
With wide open arms
And You tell me nothing I have ever done can separate my heart
From the God who stays

I used to hide
Every time I thought I let You down
I always thought I had to earn my way
But I'm learning You don't work that way, no

'Cause somehow You don't see me like I do
Somehow You're still here

You're the God who stays
You're the God who stays
You're the one who runs in my direction
When the whole world walks away
You're the God who stands
With wide open arms
And You tell me nothing I have ever done can separate my heart
From the God who stays

My shame can't separate
My guilt can't separate
My past can't separate
I'm Yours forever

My sin can't separate
My scars can't separate
My failures can't separate
I'm Yours forever

No enemy can separate
No power of hell can take away
Your love for me will never change
I'm Yours forever

'Cause you're the God who stays
You're the God who stays
You're the one who runs in my direction
When the whole world walks away
You're the God who stands
With wide open arms
And You tell me nothing I have ever done can separate my heart
From the God who stays
You're the God who stays
You're the one who runs in my direction
When the whole world walks away
You're the God who stands
With wide open arms
And You tell me nothing I have ever done can separate my heart
From the God who stays