Praying for Hope

My heart has been heavy this week. On every side of me, people I know and love are hurting: broken dreams, strained marriages, hurting souls. I have had more than one person say to me "I feel hopeless," or "I am so discouraged," or "I feel my world is turned upside down." These are big hurts and hard situations. In addition to this, there are the the daily worries of my own household: a child's behavioral issues, another child who is afraid of death. As I sit and listen to people who are dear to me pour out their hurts, I feel like anything I could say is inadequate, mere words. I want to rush in and offer solutions, a way to fix things. So I say humbly "I am praying for you," and I really mean it, but it seems to fall short. I guess we live in a "fix-it" society. We want answers. We want solutions, and we want them now. I saw an advertisement on the back of a car that said something like "Get Rid of Your Phobias Now or it is Free!" That is want we want something quick and painless.

Solutions. I even pray solutions. I could spend all day asking God to intervene with my solutions, my answers, my "fix-it nows." God heal this person, soften this heart, etc. I was pondering all these thoughts this morning as I was praying and reading. How do I pray for these situations that are hard and never seem to change? What hope can I offer? These words always come to me in hard times , words I have said over and over in times of trouble.... "

You are good and what you do is good. Psalm 119:68

I am still confident of this, I will see the goodness of the Lord on the land of the living. Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:13, 14

I lift my eyes unto the hills where does my hope come from, my hope comes from the Lord the maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1, 2

To say you must have hope is good but it falls short. Hope is not something you can make your self have. It is a gift. Hope is a gift and we need to ask for faith in the One who gives us this hope.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

He is the one who gives hope, so maybe what I need to pray is that God will give the gift of grace, hope, and faith. To point to the One who gives these gifts. Also to point to joy. Our whole world can fall in around us but nothing can rob us of the privilege of praying and placing our trust in the one who works all for our good.

Many times I look at a situation and wonder why God is not doing something to change it. Why does this all have to be so hard?? I was pondering that this morning and this is what I read:

Habakkuk 3:17-18
17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
19 The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.

The question comes to me, "Can you sing His song?" In the midst of all that robs us of joy, can we rejoice?? Everything in this life is grace.... He works all for our good. He is God and His purposes will stand (Is. 46:9,10) His mercy and grace are new every morning. His love never fails. These are the words that bring hope. These are the words we need to remember as we fix our eyes on our Lord. We will not be consumed. These are the words for which I need to pray, and of which I need to speak. They can do so much more than any solution I could ever offer.

Lamentations 3:19-24 (NIV)
I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.
I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. 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 : therefore I will wait for Him.