Searching For Hope

HOPE …  something we all want. Many of us seem to be on a life-long journey, searching for Hope. We begin to believe, and hope, then life happens and hope is sucked out of us. How do we bring this search to an end? How do we settle our soul in hope? One dear momma recently wrote to us about her personal challenge with HOPE.
 
Hope...I'll be honest and tell you all that the past few days I've been struggling with hope.
                         
Issues with my oldest son seem at times to get worse than better.  "God, do you really hear my prayers...do you see the pain in this mama's eyes and heart?" ....You are my only true hope, Jesus...help me not to lose hope but to stand firm and trust you IN the process.  
 
Two days ago, a co-worker’s sister-in-law, a single mother of 2 small children took her own life. She didn't have hope.
 
That same day, my friend, a 50-year old single mother of two teen girls, came by to talk to me. Her voice trembled as she told me some unexpected news. She felt a lump in her breast. She went for a scan. The doctors were concerned.  She went for a biopsy...alone.  They casually told her they would call her in 48 hours. Her entire life could change in two days. I hugged her tightly. I prayed with her and told her I loved her. I can't begin to imagine what she feels. She has no family here and her mother passed away 2 years ago. The fact that she went for the biopsy alone gave me a deep ache in my heart. My heart still hurts. I wish she would have called me to be by her side. I told her when they call and if they ask her to come in that I want to come and hold her hand. 
Today they called her at work and simply said, 'your results are in, it's positive, you have cancer.'  As if she was just the next person on the list to call. She came to my office, I closed the door and held her as she wept in my arms. I begged Jesus to hold her and to speak to her through me...He did. I prayed with her. I told her I loved her. I told her she was brave and strong and she wouldn't walk this journey alone. I prayed that God would prepare the hearts of her daughters and to give her wisdom of what to say when she tells them.  She is searching for hope.  
 
Today I'm clinging to hope.
 
 I've been thinking about a lot.  The fragility of life. Nothing is promised.  How we fight in the dark as we desperately listen for the voice of God to calm our fears and restore our hope when the strong winds of life try to blow us down.                             ~Val
 
We can live without hope…and die, spiritually, emotionally and even physically
We can live in search of hope…choosing each day where we will land, in hope or outside of hope
Or like my friend, we can cling to the One who is HOPE.
 
Over and over, it boils down to C-H-O-I-C-E. God has given us a choice, He continues to give us choices. 4000+ years ago, Joshua, preparing to lead all of Israel into the promised land said “choose this day whom you will serve.”
In the journey of HOPE, we get the same choice, who will we serve? We can place our hope in what the world has to offer:

• The promotion
• The spouse (or boyfriend)
• The car will continue to run
• The kids won’t be rebellious
• The cancer will not come back
• The judge will rule in my favor

Unfortunately hoping in these things will lead to

• disappointment,
  • disillusionment,
    • despair,
      • depression and
        • eventually death of our soul.

 
We are invited to HOPE in a God who cannot disappoint.
We are invited to HOPE in a person, not a situation.
 
Unfortunately, there is no HOPE 101 class for us to take.  But, we are not left without hope! Jesus gives us the keys to help unlock the right door in our search for hope.
 
Now may God, the inspiration and fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope! Romans 15:13 TPT
 

1. KNOW who God is. Think about, meditate, chew on this image of who God is. Say it, sing it, draw it, pray it. Spend time getting to know God as the inspiration and fountain of hope.
2. Trusting in Him is necessary and a C-H-O-I-C-E. We can choose to trust Him and lean not on our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). This is something we G-R-O-W in. We don’t wake up tomorrow and have a BIG TRUST MUSCLE. This ability to trust in the Lord is one that grows with situations, step by step.
3. Let the Holy Spirit surround your life. Let Him surround you with people who radiate this hope, allow yourself to be around those who are filled with, over-flowing this uncontainable joy and perfect peace.  

Prayer
God, you are the inspiration and fountain of hope, I draw close to you in my time of need. Fill me with this uncontainable joy and perfect peace. I choose to trust in you. Show me where I am not trusting in you and develop my ‘trust muscle’. Holy Spirit, you live in those who have submitted their lives to you. Surround me with those who know you, surround me with your super-abundance. I am created to radiate HOPE. Let your will be done, let your Kingdom of HOPE come in me and through me. Let my search for HOPE always end in You, Jesus. 
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Misty Honnold

​Misty is the President and Founder of the international organization Mountain of Myrrh Ministry (M.O.M.). She is a Visionary Leader, national speaker, writer and transitional life coach. Her greatest life work has been loving and leading her family well. She has raised 4 amazing adults and is lovingly known as Grammy to her 2 grand-daughters. Misty has blogged for over 8 years on the triumphs and trials of being a single mom. She currently blogs for Crosswalk on all things related to our spiritual journey.  Misty's passion for life is infectious.  Misty loves to lead leaders, equip women and impart value to others. Misty has learned through experience how to dance through the rhythms of life and loves to invite others into the joy of learning how to celebrate in every season.

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