Hope For When Your Hope Feels Lost

A few months ago, I wrote an article titled Hope Changes Everything. Shortly after I posted it on my own blog, it also ran on a website called Thoughts About God. There it received more exposure which led to comments and questions from readers in other countries.

The common question was…

How do I keep hoping when it feels like all hope is lost? {Tweet this}

That's not an easy question to answer. Everyone has to deal with something in life, whether it's in the past, going on right now, or something that will happen in the future. Everyone’s “something” is hard and the longer it goes on, it can feel like hope is fleeting. {Tweet this}

Without knowing individual situations, I tried to respond based on what I've learned in my own experiences…because sometimes just knowing someone else is also struggling makes a difference.

Maybe you've been asking the same question—how do I keep hoping when it feels like all hope is gone?

Please join me at Candidly Christian to continue reading where I'm sharing 4 Things I've Learned About Staying Hopeful...Hope For When Your Hope Feels Lost.

In Christ,
Laura

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3 Prayers for Today

I think a lot about manna. You know, the unidentifiable food substance God provided for the Israelites in the desert. Every morning, it sat on the ground with the morning dew and the Israelites were to gather just enough for that day.

Every day, God gave them what they needed, just enough for one day at a time so the Israelites would learn to rely on Him for their every need.

I think of manna at the end of the day when I’m not sure how I had enough strength and energy for the hard stuff I dealt with.

The tough conversation…

The disappointments…

All the ways in which I was stretched beyond what I could handle on my own….

And yet, with God’s help, I made it through.

Manna reminds me that day-by-day, my needs will be met. It may not be the way I would like (the line between want and need often gets blurred), but God knows, and I’m still learning to trust and rely on Him.

Manna is a reminder that worrying about “what-if” and “how-will-I” for the future gets me nowhere. I need to focus and look for what God is doing today. {Tweet this}

Manna leads me to pray 3 prayers. For today. And every day.

3 Prayers for Today

Lord, let me see You today.

Whatever our day looks like, God is present. On those days when we’re distracted and all we can see is what we’re facing, we have to intentionally look for Him. I’ve been reminded of His presence in the way the morning sun beamed down through the clouds as I drove to work, unexpected flowers on a plant that rarely bloomed, and the way a text or email from a friend came at just the right moment.

These may seem small or insignificant, but when we’re looking for God, they’re gentle reminders that say I AM here.

Lord, give me the strength and energy I need for today.

Just as we ask Him to provide daily provisions, like food, clothing, and shelter, I know I need His help in other ways to get through each day. I need to rely on His strength, His energy, His compassion for others, and His grace.

Jesus was always in direct contact with His Father. We need to be too. Quiet time with God grounds me and helps me focus on Him, instead of all that is going on around me. A quick prayer before we act—Lord, give me the words to speak or Lord, show me how I can support her—helps us see others through His eyes, rather than through our own.

Lord, guide my steps today.

When life feels difficult, I know that even though I can’t see what’s ahead, I need to keep doing the next thing. The problem is sometimes I don’t know what that next thing is. I know what I want to see happen, but it might not line up with God’s plan. I need Him to guide my steps and show me where my attention and focus should be.

Allowing myself to be led by Him (even on the days when I feel like I’m not accomplishing anything) may open my eyes to something He wants to show me that I’ve been missing. Or it may lead me to the rest and relaxation He knows I need.

But even better, it will draw me closer to Him as I wait on Him, lean into Him, and depend on Him. Today. And every day.

In Christ,

Laura 

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Linking up with: Purposeful Faith, #TeaAndWord, Trekking Thru, Let's Have Coffee, #porchstories, #RechargeWednesday, Sitting Among Friends, #HeartEncouragement, #ChasingCommunity, Moments of Hope, #gracemoments, Grace & Truth, #DestinationInspiration, #FaithonFire, Faith 'n Friends, #FreshMarketFriday

God is Bigger

Last week I kept mentally repeating a sentence to myself.

God is bigger than this.

It wasn't a particularly hard week, but still it kept running through my mind. Perhaps it was just a reminder that no matter what I'm dealing with, it's no match for God.

God is bigger than whatever problems I'm facing. {Tweet this}

He's greater than the worry I keep trying to give to Him and the emotions that often get the best of me.

He's stronger than any strength I can muster up.

He's more powerful than anything I can plan and accomplish on my own.

It reminds me that my perspective is limited, but God's is not. I can only see what's around me, but God sees it all.

He knows our yesterdays, our todays, and our tomorrows, and there is nothing He can't accomplish if it's in His will to do so. {Tweet this}

No matter what you're facing today, might you pray this Scripture verse with me?

We confess—there is nothing greater than You, God, nothing mightier than Your awesome works. I will tell of Your greatness as long as I have breath.
Psalm 145:6 Voice

We confess all that is in us and praise Him for who He is.

We sit in His presence, rest in His assurance, and wait for His plans to unfold before us.

And all the while, we bask in His love, His grace, mercy, and peace that we'll find nowhere else.

God is indeed bigger than this.

In Christ,

Laura 

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What Others Think

Last week after work I stopped at Target for dinner ingredients and a few miscellaneous items. Not in a hurry, I stopped first in the cosmetic section where I met an employee, who also happened to be a cosmologist. She was very friendly...and loud...boisterous...with a voice that traveled for anyone in the general area to hear.

And she was so. much. fun!

We chatted. She talked about products. And I let her find the correct color for me—in the Target aisle...where other shoppers were walking by and, I'm sure, could hear our conversation.

I thought about this briefly as she wiped off the makeup I was wearing. I wondered if she had attracted attention our way, but I realized I didn't care because it was fun.

A day later, I was still thinking about it...

Why are we so concerned about the opinions of people we don't know and may or may not ever see again?

Why do we worry about being judged by people who are going to judge us no matter what we do?

How often do we keep ourselves from having fun because of what others might think? 

Maybe it's...

the movie no one else wants to see, so we go alone.

the question we ask even if we fear looking dumb.

the new activity we try even though we don't know what we're doing.

Or perhaps it's whatever we later regret not doing because we let the fear of what someone might think stand in our way.

When we constantly worry about what others think, we keep ourselves from enjoying the moment we're in. We miss out on things that can make us smile and distract us from the heaviness of life.

And sometimes it's the distraction alone that makes us smile and face the rest of the day.

In Christ,

Laura

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com]

Linking up with: Five Minute Friday, #DreamTogether, Purposeful Faith, #TeaAndWord, Trekking Thru, #TellHisStory, Coffee for Your Heart, #porchstories, #RechargeWednesday, Sitting Among Friends, Encouraging Word Wednesday, #HeartEncouragement, #ChasingCommunity, Moments of Hope, #gracemoments, #DestinationInspiration, #FaithonFire, Faith 'n Friends, Grace & Truth, #FreshMarketFriday