Take Heart (Day 4)
“He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands” series
As humans, we’re always looking for something to root our hope in. We have this inherent need to look for people and things that give us a sense of security when our stress-levels increase. So-much-so, that in America, we’ve established a set of symbolic artifacts that we emotionally connect to in times of crisis.
The American flag waving in the wind fills us with hope, patriotism, and love of country. The “Rosie the Riveter” posters from WWII encourage us as reminders of our American strength and “Can Do” spirit. Or ol’ Uncle Sam gazing deeply into a young man’s eyes, inspiring him to become apart of something greater than himself.
But what happens when our symbols fail? What happens when we lose our reverence for a flag, or no longer have the will to fight? How do we recover when the system we’ve invested so much trust in consistently fails us?
When COVID-19 was first reported in America, the average citizen could not foresee the impending turmoil that would beset the country. Every facet of our lives changed abruptly, and those who had confided trust in systems like the government, economy, stock market, supply chain, etc., quickly saw just how fragile our “status quo” truly is.
For me, my hope had become dependent on my seemingly stable career. My hope was rooted in a steady & indulgent source of income; enabling our family to become frivolous spenders. Yes, we are God-fearing and generous with what He had given us. However, we took for granted just how comfortable our life had become. When these dependencies faded into the uncertainty surrounding the changes happening in our country, so too did our hope.
It was easy to be angry — to remain angry — at how my employer and my government responded to this pandemic. It was easy to succumb to grief and self-pity — Oh woe is me! I wallowed around the house for days feeling so worthless and aggrieved. While we trusted God was in control, we also lamented what we perceived to be the degradation of our way of life — holding on to the selfish desires of our lives.
“My heart is breaking as I remember how it used to be:
I walked among the crowds of worshipers, leading a great procession to the house of God, singing for joy and giving thanks amid the sound of a great celebration!” Psalm 42:4
I am ashamed at my selfishness! My hope came from the life I enjoyed prior to COVID-19, not from the Loving God who had given me such a good life!
“Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?
I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again — my Savior and my God!” Psalm 42:11
So in this I began to transform. I began to understand what it means to be solely dependent on God alone, and not the material greed of this world. My hope was renewed because I finally realized there was nothing I could do to change my circumstance. The only hope I had left was to let God take control.
Take Heart = Be Filled With Hope
We are so quick to hide our weaknesses — especially in America. We’ve let our pride denote our social value, and the presence of weakness only diminishes that self-worth we pursue. I was embarrassed to be unemployed. I was embarrassed to talk to my friends about my situation. My life is supposed to be successful!
Yet, my biggest mistake in all this was making it about me. My hope had become so fragile because my hope was in my own ability to succeed — not in God’s victory which is guaranteed! I was forgetting that my success isn’t represented by my wealth or social status. My success is only measured by my faithfulness to God.
“Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” 2 Corinthians 12:8–9
If we completely trust in the power of God and the goodness of His Will, then we will be filled with an unbreakable spirit of hope. When the Spirit has inspired us with His hope, only then will we have the strength to endure the trials and sorrows that we encounter in this life. Jesus tells us in John 16:33,
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.
Jesus doesn’t say you will find peace in your retirement fund. Jesus doesn’t say life is going to be easy. Instead, He commands us to have hope! He tells us that He has overcome the world — and everything in the world. Sickness, unemployment, emotional turmoil, and even death — none of these things have power in our lives because we know that Jesus has overcome them!
We can be hopeful, even in the face of adversity, because we worship a God who is more powerful than any suffering on this earth. Our minds can be at peace, even in the shadows of the deepest valleys, because we know our Savior has already won.
My Prayer Today:
Father God, we honor you today by remaining faithful to your Will for us. We glorify your victory over the pain in this world, and we are filled with hope as we see you working in this crisis. Holy Spirit bring us peace and encouragement as we face the challenges ahead. Let our faith be rooted in your truth Lord Jesus, so that we can take heart in knowing you have already won!
