Hope Sustains Us

Today the writing prompt is hope, a word that I think very fondly of. Hope is such a gift, something that comes as a comfort during a time of drought or pain or uncertainty. Hope sustains many in far off lands, those suffering through war and famine and perhaps just waiting for a living situation to improve. Citizenship and a way to escape to a place where they can just be free.

For many though, hope doesn't come because of big issues, the things like war and famine and oppression. It comes for little moments, when you are scared or need reassurance. This is often overlooked, as if hope is only a gift given to those who really need it. But the rest of the world has been given this as well, a way to cope and to wait. To have some comfort until things are better or are easier to believe. When you hear news of a pending layoff or the test results come back and they want you to come in. When you've been hurt in the past and your heart can't trust just yet.

Every evening I take my Lovenox shot and lean back, absorbing the stinging medicine. And while I see that I am growing on schedule and heard the heartbeat a few days ago, I still cling to hope. Hope that I will soon feel some flutters that will turn to kicks, and hope that I will find some reassurance in them. I sit there, quiet and feel my lower belly. I know that during these moments when I'm asking God to look over my baby, I am exercising hope and prayer and faith. Many times we think that life can only surprise us, as if life is what it is and we cannot prepare for anything. But know that God has built in these gradual moments of anticipation and hope to sustain us when we are scared or uncertain.

I'm sure many of the participants in FMF will be quoting 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.

And again... this was NOT written to tell you that God desires you to have an easy life. You have to take every verse in context. and this verse was written to Israelites in Babylonian captivity. Not you. Life will be hard, unbearable even for so much of the world, and yes, especially Christians. Many will die in pain and suffering and while it's a sweet thought that God doesn't want this to happen, we must remember that all things are given by God. The plenty and the lacking.

If you really want a scripture about hope, how about Romans 5:3-5:

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

What a wonderful reminder. And even when we can't see hope on the horizon or see the silver lining, we have hope in the cross. The ultimate hope, silver lining or best case scenario. We have the hope and knowledge that even though this world is hard, life with the Lord is something to look forward to.

So tell me...
What have you felt uncertain about recently?
Are there certain times during the day when you are reminded of God's grace and provision?
Has a writing prompt surprised you lately, or made your day?


                 
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Every Friday hundreds join the Five Minute Fridays writing flash mob, 

where bloggers get together to write on a common topic or specific word. No extreme editing; 

no worrying about perfect grammar, font, or punctuation. 

Unscripted. Unedited. Real.