Tag: Hope

Are You Tired of 2020?

Isaiah 40: 31 “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.”

Are you tired of 2020? Have you lost faith that things will get better? The people of Israel sure felt that way after they were forcibly removed from their homes and taken to a foreign country for almost 50 years. Their homes and churches were destroyed, they were enslaved, and they were forced to live a different way than what they were used to. They were tired and losing faith.

But then a prophet named Isaiah reminded them that their God was in charge. He reminded them that from the very beginning God had been with them and He had never left them. God is more powerful than anything and anyone on this earth. He is greater than kings, presidents, and any kind of ruler. He is greater than famines, disasters, and plagues. God has always had a plan and His knowledge and strength is greater than anything we can imagine or hope to understand.

Isaiah 40:28-29 says, “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increase the power of the weak.”

That is MY God. That is where I place my trust, my faith, my worries. Isaiah goes on to say in verse 31, “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint.” God’s power and strength never decreases. His strength is our source of strength. So, when you feel life crushing you and you cannot go another step, remember that you can call upon God to renew your strength.  Put your hope in God.

Thank you, Lord for being a source of strength for me during this past year. Thank you for your love and constant presence in my life. Amen.

My Plans For You

Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Most people have heard this Bible verse before but probably do not know the context of the passage.  This was part of a letter that Jeremiah, a prophet, wrote to the surviving people from Jerusalem that had been exiled to Babylon.  The letter was a message from God to His people (people just like you and me).  In a nutshell, God wanted His people to know that even though they were living through a difficult season, they should not stop living.  He encouraged them to build houses, plant gardens, get married and have children.  Carry on.  Keep living.  Even though their life was not perfect, He said to keep living it.  God even said they should pray for Babylon because if it prospers, they will prosper too.  God wants them to prosper because he is going to bring them back to Jerusalem one day.  Then He says it.  “For I know the plans I have for you.  Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” 

Did you hear that?  God has plans for you.  Through every season of your life, He has a plan.  When you feel abandoned, lost, helpless, or tired, like the people of Israel did, He has a plan.  When you face struggles, fears, sorrows or disgrace, He has a plan.  You may not be able to see the plan but it is there.  And the plan is good because God is good.

So how do you get through the hard times?  How do you survive the difficult season? The key is to lean into God during those times.  Jeremiah 29:13 (two verses later) says that “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all you heart.”  So when you find yourself in that season and things are weighing you down, keep on going, lean into God, seek Him through His word and keep on living.  Build a house, plant a garden, get married and have children.  And when you come out on the other side, the plan will be clear.

Lord, thank you for being with me through the good times and the bad.  Thank you for loving me enough to have a plan.  I have faith in you and I know that no matter what, you will bring me through this season of my life.  I love you.  Amen.