Hope: To cherish a desire with anticipation; to want something to happen or be true (Merriam-Webster)
Last month I wrote a few thoughts in a post on Delayed Hope which were motivated by a long period of waiting for something I deeply desired. I am still learning about hope as I believe there are layers and facets to this beautiful yet longed for essential in our lives.
As I shared last month, my hope was in something good and godly. It hurt my heart not to have it. Yet when I finally yielded and let God have his way with me in this area, I learned more about the object of my hope and its proper place in my life.
After doing a word search in the bible, God revealed where the object of my hope should only be: In Him, his steadfast love, his word and my salvation. Oh sure, we can hope for things on a surface level, but for those deeply fixed desires where hope can turn to hurt, putting our longing in God alone is essential for our fragile, earthly hearts. He is the only sure thing we have this side of heaven.
I finally got to a place of living this truth out. The hurt in my heart lifted and the ‘good and godly’ longing I had been experiencing moved to the back burner. I’m sure I will be challenged to live out this truth with other tests and trials, but my heart is free and I am full of his unwavering love and a deeper knowledge of this truth that was revealed from his word.
Let me know what you think…I’d love to hear from you!
14 Comments
leonie
January 28, 2018 at 6:17 pmBeautifully and faithfully written and thought through!! Blessings and feeling blessed by this writing!
Eileen
January 29, 2018 at 3:05 pmMy Aunt Leonie! Love you and grateful for your encouraging words!
Courtney Yartz
January 28, 2018 at 9:51 pmAwesome to see how God is working in you and through you. This is your first post that I have come across so I will look forward to reading more. Praying for you my friend!
Eileen
January 29, 2018 at 3:05 pmThank you so much, Courtney!!
Elizabeth Hughes
January 29, 2018 at 3:21 pmEileen thank you for sharing what has been on your heart regarding hope. So I want to encourage you to keep seeking your hope in Jesus he will not let you down.
Eileen
January 29, 2018 at 8:49 pmThank you, Elizabeth!
Melissa
January 30, 2018 at 4:52 pmThank you for sharing. Hope is so hard when God has other plans. And Yet, He ALWAYS works it out for our best, and your story is a good reminder.
Lindsay
January 30, 2018 at 6:26 pmIt’s so good to hear stories about what God is doing in the lives of His children! I have to be careful not to get overly attached to the good gifts He gives instead of to the giver, Himself. It’s tough but so much more fulfilling! Thanks for sharing!
Susan Hobart
February 3, 2018 at 5:46 pmEileen, I just read your most sensible, heart moving description on hope. It is so good that I want to copy it out and read it periodically as a good reminder. So true! Love you, Mom
Eileen
February 6, 2018 at 11:23 amThank you, mom! Thank God for his truth as I need to go back to this too!
Heather Bock
February 4, 2018 at 6:31 pmI have hope God will let me do something good and godly, too, and I’ve had to put it on the back burner and surrender it for a long time. I have learned, like you, that His plans are best, and that He’s better than any of my good plans.
Eileen
February 6, 2018 at 11:22 amThank you, Heather..so true! For me it’s been a tough journey to get this truth from my head to my heart.. Not easy!
David Hobart
February 12, 2018 at 6:33 pmYour website was excellent and very thoughtful. I think you are a writer in the making. Love dad.
Eileen
February 21, 2018 at 8:41 pmThank you, Dad!