"When Hope is Blind"

THE WORD:

"Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see."

Hebrews 11:1 (NLT)

" For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

Romans 8:24 (NLT)

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,  neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

 Romans 8:38-39 (NLT)

 

DEVOTION:

Some people give up on hope because they lose focus on the possibilities. They give up and claim that it is a "lost cause" because they are tired of hoping for something they cannot see.

With a rare and incurable neurological disease, I live each day with the possibility that my illness can return at any time. Maybe with new symptoms. Maybe with permanent brain damage. Maybe the next time God will call me Home. Despite all these possibilities, I continue to hope that I will get better, and that one day - a cure can be found…even for such a rare illness as mine.

Some people give up on hope because it has disappointed them too many times. I was diagnosed with my illness at the age of 17, and it has struck me two more times since then with different symptoms. There was a point when I thought, "Will I ever be rid of this illness? Will it always be haunting my life?"

Hope is the desire that there is something better around the corner. When hope is blind, you cannot see what awaits you around this corner. That is why hope holds hands with faith…because faith "gives us assurance about things we cannot see" (Hebrews 11:1).

I don't know if a cure will ever be found for my illness in my lifetime. I don't know if I might be hospitalized again this year. But I continue to hope that the sun will still rise even after the darkest and coldest night.

For Christians, our hope is fueled by God's love. No matter what happens in this lifetime, our hope in God will never disappoint us. When life brings tears and pain, God says, "Hold on. I have much better things waiting for you."

So during the times of trials, we hold on to hope that God's purpose in this pain will be revealed to us. We remember that only God sees the full picture, and He knows what is around the corner. Blessings can spring out of burdens. Hopefulness can come from helplessness. Love can bloom from what once was lost. And when you have trouble keeping hope in God, remember "that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:18). 

So you don't have to worry when your hope is blind, because God is omniscient and has a plan for you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).

"God is the reason why even in pain, I smile; In confusion, I understand; and in fear, I continue to fight." (Unknown)

PRAYER:

Dear God, You know everything about me and about my life. I am limited but you are an unlimited God. When I am ready to give up hope when life brings me down, please remind me that Your ways are higher than my ways, and that Your thoughts are higher than my thoughts. I may not understand now why I am going through this pain, but I understand that You work everything for Your glory. Although my hope is blind, help me to be patient for Your answer, Your rescue, and Your coming kingdom. Amen.

 

APPLICATION:

What do you hope for right now? How can you remind yourself to keep holding on? How would you encourage someone to hold on to hope when he or she is ready to give up? Do you think that faith in God makes a difference in hope?

WORSHIP:

"Before the Morning" - Josh Wilson

"Would you dare, would you dare, to believe,
that you still have a reason to sing,
'cause the pain you've been feeling,
can't compare to the joy that's coming

Would dare you, would you dare, to believe,
that you still have a reason to sing,
'cause the pain you've been feeling,
can't compare to the joy that's coming

Com'n, you got to wait for the light
press on, just fight the good fight
because the pain you've been feeling,
it's just the hurt before the healing
the pain you've been feeling,
just the dark before the morning"