Unshakable Hope

The holidays.  For many of us, this is our favorite season.  We love the decorations, the fellowship, gift giving, the sights, the sounds, the smells.  You name it…..we love everything about this time of year.  For so many others, however, “the most wonderful time of the year” is not only stressful, but intensifies feelings of depression, lonliness, and financial burden.  Alcohol and drug abuse increases, along with suicide rates.

Isn’t it disheartening that the holiday celebrating the HOPE of the world being born has turned into such a hopeless time for so many?  Isn’t it just like the enemy to take the most hopeful event in history and use it to make people who are feeling helpless even more discourged and downhearted?  No matter how much Satan tries to torment our minds and our spirits, the truth of God’s word remains.  Jesus, the hope of glory’s name, is ABOVE ALL OTHER NAMES.  It’s above depression, debt, suicide, alcoholism, brokeness….it’s ABOVE the enemy.  We as a people have to fight for our brothers and sisters, especially during this season.  We have to proclaim where our hope comes from!!!!

Lamentations, written by Jeremiah (aka “the weeping prophet”), is filled with brokenness and what seems to be an attitude of helplessness.  But no matter how discouraged and sorrowful Jeremiah became, he NEVER lost sight of the one who His hope was in.  It wasn’t in his circumstances, his situation, his unmet expectations.  Instead, it was in an Almighty, omnipotent, omniscient God.  And because His confidence and strength was in God, his hope remained unshaken!!!  Let’s make a choice to refocus our minds for this upcoming year.  CHOOSE to focus on God’s love, everything He’s done for you, His greatness, His might.  The more He increases, the more we and the trials and tribulations we  face will decrease.  I hope you all have an amazing, HOPEful holiday season!!!

“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love WE ARE NOT CONSUMED, for His compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  I say to myself, ” The Lord is my portion and therefore I will wait for Him.  The LORD is good to those whose HOPE IS IN HIM, to the one who seeks Him!!!” Lamentations 3:21-25