Hope in the Wait

I remember as a child waiting in anticipation for my birthday or for Christmas to arrive. Time moved slowly and the waiting dragged on forever.

As an adult, that time moves much more quickly. It seems like Christmas is around the corner again before last year’s gifts are put away. And waiting for birthdays isn’t quite as exciting anymore.

Waiting for the calendar page to turn—that’s not so hard. Until time ends, one month will flow into the next, guaranteed.

But waiting on God is hard. Some days it feels impossible. And other days it takes me right to my knees in tears and frustration.

Perhaps you’re waiting on God too...

…for physical healing.

…for employment.

…for a child to come home.

…for a relationship to be restored.

…for a loved one to come to faith.

Whatever it might be, there will be days when waiting on God is just too hard.

Days when I think I cannot do it one more day. I can’t wait patiently without worry and fear. And on those days, peace gets edged out. In its place are anxiousness, nausea, headaches, tears, depression, anger, and despair.

Despair that feels like hitting bottom, where there’s no place deeper to go—because with despair comes hopelessness.

Hopelessness covers the world in darkness, but not completely. Never completely.

Because the darkness can never extinguish the Light.

I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.

John 12:46 NLT

Jesus came into this world to show us the Light—His Light that never dims. It never goes out. {Tweet this}

We may become blinded to it at times, but it’s there, shining like a beacon—a symbol of hope leading us back to Him.

For where there is Light, there is hope. Always hope.

On the days when the waiting feels like too much—there is hope. {Tweet this}

Hope for a better tomorrow.

Hope that what we’re anticipating and waiting for is right around the corner.

Hope that soon God will reveal His plans for us.

Hope because God is in the wait with us—strengthening and comforting—bringing rest to the weary and calm to the panicked—picking us up when we hit the ground in despair.

Waiting for the seasons to change becomes methodical. Waiting on God never does.

We may not know what’s coming next, but God does. Our waiting and our future is in His hands.

His safe, strong, and more than capable hands.

In Christ,

Laura

**There are times when sadness and despair don’t improve. If you are experiencing symptoms of depression (ex. emotions you can’t control, fatigue, lack of energy, not being able to sleep, always wanting to sleep, and/or thoughts of self-harm), please don’t be afraid to seek help. Getting help is not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of strength.**

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com / This post was rewritten from a one that originally appeared on 5 Minutes for Faith.]

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When You Long for Change

Some seasons in life feel longer than others, don't they? Hard days run together and weeks become months. 

Although we can find positive moments in each day, the years are still trying. We grow weary and change looks difficult. Maybe even impossible.

I don't know where today finds you. Maybe you're trying not to lose yourself in the long days of motherhood. Or perhaps it's financial or relationship trials. Or health issues, loneliness, grief, disappointment, trying to move forward from poor choices, or recover from a trauma you experienced at the hands of another. 

It seems everyone has something they wish could be different. Everybody is dealing with something.

If change or improvement looks like it will never happen for you, hang in there. Nothing is impossible for God. {Tweet this}

What He has planned for our lives may not look like what we're hoping for—and that can be hard to accept. But it's often not until we can look back, sometimes years later, that we are able to see how the pieces fit together. And that what we walked through was part of His grand plan.

Encouraging Verses for When You Long for Change

Luke 18:27 NIV

Jesus replied, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.”

Psalm 40:1-3 NLT

I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.

Psalm 94:19 VOICE

When anxiety overtakes me and worries are many, Your comfort lightens my soul.

Isaiah 43:18-19 NIV

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

Habakkuk 2:3 NLT

This vision is for a future time.  It describes the end, and it will be fulfilled. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.

Psalm 32:8 NLT

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.

Isaiah 40:31 NLT

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 43:2 NLT

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

What Scripture verse(s) do you find encouraging when you're longing for change?

In Christ,

Laura

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Pruning

A couple of weeks ago we had four trees trimmed. It needed to be done. They were hanging low, touching the fence and getting a little too personal with our neighbor’s vehicles. But, the pruning was done aggressively, taking more than we expected, or wanted.

A range of emotions followed in my home—sadness because I felt like my trees were ruined, surprise over how sad I was, annoyance because it wasn’t what we wanted, anger because the bill still had to be paid…and finally, in time, acceptance.

As we worked through at our own pace, I thought about the pruning God does in us and how we might experience the same emotions.

“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.”

John 15:1-4 NLT

The pruning process is not easy for us. God wants to draw us close to Him, and as He changes us from the inside out, He knows what isn’t producing fruit. From our perspective though, this looks like having to give up things, interests, behavior, or ways of life that we like or we’re used to. It means laying down our will for His.

The more we know God, the greater the desire to make these changes, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. It can be unpleasant, uncomfortable, and downright painful. {Tweet this}

While God’s pruning is always what’s best for us, it doesn’t feel that way when the work is being done. It may feel like He’s pruning too aggressively, taking more than we expect, or want to give up.

There might be sadness because what we’ve always known is no longer what’s normal. It may mean a change in who we associate with or where we go, and making those changes can be hard, and even lonely. No matter how much we do want our lives to be different, there are still pieces or memories that we don’t want to give up completely. And that may surprise us.

There might be annoyance at what God is asking of us. We’ve worked and worked to move forward, but it’s still not enough. He’s still snipping and cutting, even from where we’ve made progress, and we want to shout, Stop! Enough trimming. You’re taking too much and it’s just too hard. We didn’t agree to this much pruning.

We might be angry. This isn’t what we asked for. The years of hardship. The loss. The sudden and drastic changes in our lives that don’t make sense to us. Years later we may see how He drew us close and we learned to trust Him in every way. But, right now, when it feels like we’re getting hit with one thing after another and we don’t understand why He’s letting it happen, it’s difficult to see how we can grow from it.

We want some explanation and to know how this will work out. We want our questions answered—How long? Why? When? But, when our questions don’t get answered, we have to wait and trust that the One pruning knows what He’s doing.

At some point, when the new becomes more familiar and comfortable, there is acceptance. We’ve become used to the changes—both the good and the bad, and it’s not as difficult to function. It’s no longer a constant struggle to get through each day because there’s been new growth. Instead of only seeing what’s missing, we see how God has blessed us. There is still grief and mourning, but there is also thankfulness and new beginnings.

Our trees were trimmed with the best of intentions and we received a credit when I kindly expressed how disappointed we were. God prunes us for His purpose and His glory, and when we turn to Him with our disappointment, exhaustion, sadness, and even our anger, He comforts us with love and compassion. {Tweet this}

God’s work will still be done, but He never cuts and walks away. He stays with us through the pain and the setbacks. He encourages us as we get back on our feet. And He rejoices with us as we begin to see the growth through His pruning.

In Christ,

Laura

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The Road Ahead

Roads. Some are short with a definite destination. Others are long and winding, with a scenic view.

Like me, you might find yourself on a road you didn’t know you were on, but when you look back you can see where it started and where it’s taken you, even if you still can’t see the end clearly.

And then there are the somewhat defined roads. You know where they start—the moment your life changed—but you don’t know where it ends. What you do know is you don’t like the look of the road. You stand at the threshold knowing it will be hard, physically, emotionally, and mentally, and there is no way around it.

Maybe that road is the diagnosis, unemployment, the end of a relationship, the loss of a loved one, or one of so many other defining moments that feel dark and depressing.

Instead of things that can be done, there are things that have to be done. Instead of possibilities, life looks full of impossibilities.

And yet, we are not alone on this oppressive road. We have a traveling companion who has promised to never leave us despite the rocky, uphill climb. God promises to go before us, walk beside us, and follow behind us, giving us what we need along the way. {Tweet this}

Jesus is the Light that will break through the darkness.

Some days along the road are filled with a dark fog blocking the light. There is sadness and exhaustion. Bad news that causes us to grieve and wonder if the sun will shine again. But, no matter how hopeless we feel, the darkness can never extinguish the light of Jesus.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 8:12 NIV

When we can’t feel it, we have to know it—remember it—Jesus is the Light that shines through the darkness. When we can’t see the light, He’s still there, and the fog won’t block the light forever.

God is at work no matter what we can or can’t see.

Especially during difficult times, we have to remember that God is at work behind the scenes. Sometimes, He’ll give us a glimpse of what He’s working on, but often we just have to trust that His plans are good.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart;
    do not depend on your own understanding.

Proverbs 3:5 NLT

It’s not easy to trust when we can’t understand why, or how, or when, but I’ve found that the more I try to trust Him, the more I want to trust Him, and with practice I don’t have to try as hard. Trusting Him feels comfortable and becomes more natural.

He is the One who holds us up when we can barely move on our own.

There will be days when we don’t want to get out of bed. If our feet don’t touch the floor, maybe we won’t have to face anything. It’s too hard to hold ourselves up, much less be there to support others. But, whether we stay in bed or trudge through the day, we are not alone.

Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Isaiah 41:10 NASB

There have been many times when I reflected back on my day and didn’t know how I made it through. It was a blur of difficulty that I didn’t have the strength for. 

The only answer was God. 

I know He was holding me up when I could barely stand on my own. He was there in the hard conversations and the actions I didn’t want to take. He was there to pull me up when the feeling of hopelessness was too great.

No matter what the road ahead of us looks like, God is with us and He won’t leave us. {Tweet this} The days will be hard and some will feel as dark as night…but we are not alone and the sun will shine again.

Lord Jesus, we know that in this life we will have trouble, but You have promised to never leave us. You have promised us peace in the midst of the storms. May we believe Your promises are for us and cling to Your presence in our lives. Amen.

In Christ,

Laura 

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14 Verses for When It Feels Like God is Silent

I’m convinced that emotions can wreck us. On any given day, I can go from laughing to crying; feeling angry to craving connection; feeling hopeful to feeling desperate. Emotions take us all over the place, use up what little energy we have, and leave us feeling spent.

Truth can get lost in emotions…if we let it.

For a while now, I’ve felt like God has been silent. I know He’s with me. I know He hears me, sees me, and knows every detail of my days. I know that. But, sometimes I don’t feel it.

As I pray, I’ve been reminding myself that the truth and how I feel are not the same.

In my frustration, I want to demand, God, where are You?!?

Instead, I’ve been confessing, Lord, I know You’re here, but I feel like I can’t find you. Why am I struggling to connect with You?

One expresses my anger, the other cries out for help. God knows I feel both.

Anger clouds my vision and opens the door even wider for doubt and suspicion. (Both of which are in the enemy’s arsenal.) But, expressing my need for Him keeps me looking for Him, watching for even the smallest reminder that He’s with me. It keeps me expecting to see Him.

I imagine I’m not alone in struggling between truth and emotions. Fortunately, God’s Word is filled with His truth to remind us He’s with us, even when it feels like God is silent. {Tweet this}

14 Scripture Verses for When It Feels Like God is Silent

Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Isaiah 43:2 (VOICE)

When you face stormy seas I will be there with you with endurance and calm; you will not be engulfed in raging rivers. If it seems like you’re walking through fire with flames licking at your limbs, keep going; you won’t be burned.

Psalm 62:5-6 (NLT)

Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken.

Psalm 34:17-18 (NLT)

The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.

Psalm 73:26 (NLT)

My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.

Isaiah 41:10 (MSG)

Don’t panic. I’m with you.  There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you.  I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.

Exodus 33:14 (NIV)

The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NLT)

Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Joshua 1:9 (NLT)

This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Ephesians 3:16-17 (NLT)

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong.

John 14:16-17 (NKJV)

And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

Psalm 5:3 (NIV)

In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you  and wait expectantly.

Psalm 63:8 (VOICE)

My soul clings to You; Your right hand reaches down and holds me up.

Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What verses do you turn to when you’re struggling to feel God with you? {Tweet this}

In Christ,

Laura 

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com/@aaronburden]

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Called to Pray

I recently made a commitment to pray for someone in the morning and at bedtime. This wasn't a new commitment, but a more intentional one. However, it didn't take long before my plan felt like one more thing I had to do.

To be honest, I’m long past frustrated with the situation we've been in and that our prayers have not been answered. I know He's at work and that His way and timing are best, but I've grown weary in the wait. Maybe you can relate?

Last week as I got ready for bed, I wanted to skip praying that night. I thought, why bother?

But immediately I wondered, what if a breakthrough is right around the corner?

I'm not in any way suggesting that God's work is dependent on my prayers. But I know that when I stop praying it opens the door to drifting away from Him.

My prayers for someone else aren't just for that person, they are for me too.

Prayer keeps me close to the One whose love and power are unlimited. No matter what I can or can't see, nothing is impossible for God. {Tweet this}

Prayer gives me strength to face tomorrow. It gives me the ability to see His work, even especially when it's not what I've been asking for.

Prayer allows me to stand in the gap for someone who is struggling the way others have stood in the gap for me.

Never stop praying, especially for others. Always pray by the power of the Spirit. Stay alert and keep praying for God's people.
Ephesians 6:18 CEV

God calls us to pray because it keeps us close to Him and focused on Him. {Tweet this}

The enemy hates that. He knows he cannot stand in Jesus' presence so he'll watch for the moment he can slither in before we even know what happened.

I'm tired of praying and seeing no change, but praying enables me to keep hoping. And without hope, what is there?

Yes, my frustration grows on some days, but so does my praise and thankfulness because I know He's here and my impatience doesn't cause Him to turn away.

Don't worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.
Philippians 4:6-7 CEV

Peace. In the midst of difficulty. Only through faith in Jesus.

Lord, I know You can. I don't understand why You haven't. But I know that doesn't mean You won't. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

In Christ,

Laura

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Waiting on God

I don’t know anyone who likes to wait. Whether it’s waiting in line, waiting for our children, waiting for the car to be repaired, or whatever you might be waiting for, the time we spend waiting feels tedious. We tend to see it as time wasted or time we can’t get back.

Waiting is especially difficult when we’re waiting on God.

When we wait on God, we don’t know His timing. We don’t know when the healing will come, or if it will. We don’t know when the next job opportunity will be available. We don’t know when the prayers for a spouse, or the desire to start a family, will become a reality.

We don’t know the when or the how, or if what we want is really in God’s plans for us.

We don’t see the full picture like God does and it can feel like we’re waiting for the unknown. But there is something we can know for certain—a promise from God while we wait on Him.

God promises to be with us before, after, and during our wait. How do we know this and how can we be sure He’ll wait with us? 

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel.

Isaiah 7:14 NRSV

His name is Immanuel—which means God with us.

God’s promise to be with us is in His very name. It’s a promise He will not, and cannot, break. {Tweet this}

When we wait on God, we can rest assured that we are not alone.

I'm excited to be sharing at The Upper Room today! Please join me there to continue reading...Waiting on God.

In Christ,
Laura

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Hope Changes Everything

A couple of weeks ago, before our recent snowfall, I looked out the window into our backyard. The grass was brown and the trees were bare. The bird feeder was empty and uninviting. (We fill it when the ground is covered with snow.)

It was a depressing scene, and yet I saw hope. In a few months the trees will have buds and the grass will turn green again. The birds will return to their nests and baby birds will learn to fly.

I know there is hope in the dead of winter because spring will come again. Every year. Without fail, the cold days will become warm again.

The weather seasons will change, but sometimes the seasons of life feel long and drawn out.

I can't imagine what it's like to go through life without knowing Jesus.

With Jesus, I know I'm not alone and that no matter how long winter seems to last, I know it will not go on forever. {Tweet this}

Without winter, there would be no spring.

Without death, there would be no resurrection.

Without the valley, I wouldn't see the mountain.

Without the hard days, I wouldn't enjoy the good days.

Without chaos, I wouldn't appreciate the quiet days.

Without Jesus, there would be no light to break through the darkness.

I don’t know what season of life you’re walking through, but I encourage you to not give up.

The calendar pages turn and the new life of spring will be here before we know it.

God is most certainly at work, whether we can see it or not. Life seasons change, often much slower or quicker than we would like. But in every season there is hope.

Because of Jesus, there is always hope. And hope changes everything. {Tweet this}

In Christ,

Laura

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Surrender

My One Word for this year is Enough, and it feels like surrender to me.

There are certain things I want control over, but I'm surrendering—letting go of the thought that I have any control at all. It's not easy.

I have to surrender thinking I can fix a situation and trust that God will show me if there's something I can do. It means being still and waiting.

Every day, I'm surrendering my worry to God, knowing that He has not forgotten us or walked away. That knowledge has to be enough to keep me moving forward.

My days are not how I thought they would be, but I know God is in control. I'm focused on Him and I'm watching for His work, down to the smallest of ways.

Waving the white flag of surrender is hard. It feels like losing, but I know it's not. When we surrender to God, the gain is always greater than the loss. Even when we can't see it yet. {Tweet this}

I'm joining the Five Minute Friday community with the word prompt: Surrender.

In Christ,

Laura

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