What exactly does it look like to place our hope in GOD and not in His GIFTS? This is a tough question and one that must be answered individually. I cannot look into your heart and tell you what your hope is placed in. But, the God of the universe can! Spend time with Him, ask Him to search your heart and show you the things that have taken too much importance in your life. He is faithful to draw us to Himself!
If we keep reading in Psalm 42 verse 5, we will see another piece to the hope puzzle.
“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.” Psalm 42:5.
The Psalmist acknowledges here that his soul is downcast and disturbed. Yet the next sentence is a truth that will give a glimmer of hope even in the midst of suffering.
“I will yet praise Him…”
When our world is falling apart, are we still able to genuinely praise Him? When nothing makes sense, can we still find joy in the Lord and in the gift of salvation? If we lost everything in our world, could we, like Job, still say, “though he slay me, yet I will hope in him?”
I think it’s important to remember that just because we have hope doesn’t mean all our pain is taken away. Let me say that again for you.
Just because we have hope in the Lord, we aren’t exempt from pain and suffering. We can have hope in the midst of the suffering.
Reminding ourselves of that truth – that hope in the Lord doesn’t exempt us from pain – actually gives us hope.
So, when our world is falling apart, how do we remind ourselves that our hope is in God? And how does that make a difference in our lives?
There are, indeed, many ways to find our hope in Jesus. It is my hope {and my joy} to share a few of my favorite ways with you in the next few pages!!
“Say to God, ‘How awesome are your deeds!” Psalm 66:3
If you are desperate for a glimmer of hope in your world, if all seems to be falling apart, I have a simple, time-tested and proven method for finding at least a glimmer of hope. It is found in the verse from psalm 66.
Count your blessings. Speak words of praise and thanksgiving to the Giver of all good gifts.
Having trouble finding something to be thankful for? Start with the very breath you just took. And the next. And the next. “Breathe in grace, exhale praise.” Words from the song Never Once by Matt Redman.
You’ve heard it said that we must choose joy. It’s true of hope, also. Sometimes, taking one tiny step ~ thanking God for the smallest thing ~ leads to taking another step, and another..,and before you know it, your hope has returned.
What started as one small “thank you” whispered in the dark, becomes the Hallelujah Chorus when hope bursts alive in our soul.
Reading the book, One Thousand Gifts, by Ann Voskamp, changed my perspective on giving thanks. Giving thanks isn’t something to be done only in November each year. Giving thanks is a way of living.
Start today. Begin and finish your day by thinking of at least 3 things you’re thankful for each time. Write them down. Name them one by one. Get up tomorrow and do the same thing.
Beautiful.