The Road Ahead: Holding on to Hope

There are moments in life that are crossroads, whether expected or unexpected. We may feel like we are at the bottom of a well of despair, that we cannot find our way out of depression, or grief or discouragement. We simply feel as though we have no energy, or that there is little to look forward to. The rest of the world is going forward and we are feel stuck, others achieve monumental goals, while we plod along barely placing one foot in front of another.

Then, supernaturally, we are lifted out of that place and find ourselves on a mountaintop of joy! Some news comes, or a sign that things are working on a level that we could not fathom or see, and some miraculous breakthrough appears where we dared not to dream! Everything shifts, seemingly in an instant, to the good, both ours and that of others. We have new strength to dare to dream again and go on!

How does this happen? It is the result of prayers, a connection with God, the Highest Power in the universe in accordance with His nature and will, which is for our good. Faith is meant to stretch us to the end of ourselves and than transform us through circumstances we cannot figure out or handle. There must be a vision larger than our capablities wherein we require divine intervention to transition to higher levels of wisdom and understanding.

Sometimes these prayers are ours, sometimes we share our requests or pain with others who carry our burden by praying for us. Since Jesus is always talking to God about us and asking for help for us from God, even when we can't express our needs, we can be sure that God is answering them in His time in His way for our good. I have found that when I think the answer is far off, it is often just when I give up my own demanding that they are answered sooner than I think. That is why you hear people say "let go and let God", because when we do, He does handle it beyond our expectations, whether we are paying attention or not.

In prayer, we admit our inadequacies and inability, not in false humility, but in humble assessment that we cannot live this life as isolated islands without help. We were created to live in commmunity with others and communion with the One who thought of us before the foundation of time. It is unexplainable scientifically, although many propose ridculous theories of every aspect of creation. We embrace the lie that there is no God and we lose ALL HOPE.

Man without God, is wandering aimlessly through life with no direction, or relevance, or necessity for morality. Our world is in ruins, not because of the standards for decent living in relationship to God and our fellow man, but because of the blatant disregard for the truth established from the beginning of time.

Try an experiment, take the simple 10 commandments and look at the thorough simple nature of what they contain. Can you honestly reflect on them and find no value? They are meant to point us to the truth, that we in and of ourselves even with the best intentions, are not able to keep them. That's why we need a Savior.

Even the most heinous crimes are forgiveable by someone who is truly sorry for violation of God's law. There is no justice like the justice God gives. With God there is always hope, no matter what anyone else judges us to be. We belong to a larger family, and no one can take that from us. So hold on to your hope, God is holding on to you, and He never gives up on you.