Hope

As life has been forging on full steam ahead, I have been really impacted by how many of my friends are struggling.
And I don't mean can't find the right pair of shoes to match that dress kind of struggle, I mean a possible terminal illness, a possible terminal marriage and one that's definitely over...

If you have a set of eyes and a heart that's pumping, it won't take much to look around you and see someone who's struggling with something.

Where do you go with this? what's your response, what kind of advice do you give?

In the last couple of months I've been pursuing training for a half marathon and to further inspire myself, I've been watching Biggest Loser. Last night on the show one of the contestants lost his brother to cancer and I couldn't help but squirm as the trainers offered life advice, that to me seemed so hollow and contrived. Maybe I'm biased, but it seems that death makes it so clear that humanistic advice falls flat, because it doesn't solve the problem of eternity! Getting in the gym and giving it all you've got for your brother doesn't really solve that he's gone forever and there's a deep loss and grief that accompanies such losses!

So the question is... how do you deal with catastrophic loss? To what or whom do you turn to, do you hope in?

I think we are such interesting creatures, in the things we turn to convinced that they're gonna solve our problems! Seriously I think there's quite a few of us that have thought ice cream will at least soothe our woes...

But the bottom line is that the power of positive thinking, ice cream or a really intense workout can only temporarily distract us, it doesn't solve the problem of pain and ultimately death!

Hebrews 2:15 says that Jesus came to deliver those who are subject to bondage of the fear of death!
That's encouraging news!

Furthermore, when we put our hope and trust in Him, pain is no longer a useless nuisance that we strive to numb. It's a tool in a Master-Craftsman's hand! This is pain that produces something even more beautiful than gold! The bible says it's endurance, which leads to character, which ends up producing HOPE! (Rom.5:4)

And when it's Jesus that we put our hope in there is a peace, it's not a peace that the world can offer us! The hope the world offers is empty... sorry but it is... It's only something Jesus can give us, He says "don't let your heart be troubled or afraid..." And just before his followers were about to be scattered because of the threat of death, He encourages them to take heart because He has overcome the world! I don't know about you, but when you're facing the threat of death someone chanting "yes you can" isn't gonna cut it!
It has to be someone who has overcome death who can actually offer me some encouragement in that moment! Everything else falls flat!

1st Peter 1 says that we have been grieved by various trials for a little while... I don't know about you, but 80 years plus or minus to be grieved by various trials doesn't seem like a little while, especially when those trials can seem so overwhelmingly huge and painful! But I heard a pastor put it this way recently...
"When we're on year 10billion 800million 465 thousand and 2... 80 years is gonna seem like a recess in 1st grade!"

It's perspective we need! The bottom line friends... God is real, life is short and eternity is long!

I know it's hard, I'm weeping with you, I'm praying for you...

I'm hoping that you place your hope in the only one who is worthy of your trust!
He died for you to rescue you from the most hopeless of situations and He has promised to never leave you or forsake you! Romans 5:5 says that that hope you have in Him will not disappoint you!

Lord help us to fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen! Knowing that through our pain and difficulty you are working out a far greater weight of glory! Help us to surrender to You as You work it out! Help us Lord to suffer well, as we hope in you!

Please let me know how I can pray for you if you're going through a difficult season!
- Your Old Time friend