For various reasons, the holidays can be a difficult time for many people. Because she knows about surviving hardships and difficulties, fellow Redbud, Elisabeth Klein, has offered encouragement for all those who are hurting for the holidays. Here is her message of hope.
HOPE
excerpt from Elisabeth Klein’s Holidays for the Hurting: 25 Devotions to Help You Heal
Hope is a tricky concept. If, in the middle of your difficult season, you are pinning your hopes on your circumstances turning around, I would gently caution you.
There are no guarantees in this life.
No one has promised us anything.
Well, that’s not true exactly.
Our sweet Baby Jesus grew up to promise us this: “In this world you will have trouble…” –John 16:33a–
What you’re going through right now – the pain that you are carrying today – was promised to you.
If you have grown up under the false belief that life were supposed to be easy, I am so sorry. Life is hard. Life is complicated. Life is painful. In this world, we will have trouble.
But we do have hope.
Because Jesus went on to say: “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” –John 16:33b–
Our hope is not to be found in a shifting circumstance that rolls back our way.
Our hope is found in Christ alone. In the knowledge that he has overcome the world. In the trust that he is holding us. With the faith that he knows what he’s doing.
Our hope does not disappoint, because our true hope is God himself. Shift your eyes to that manger and breathe out a prayer of thanks. He came for you, to bring you hope.
…hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. –Romans 5:5–
God, my hope has been misplaced. I have been hoping and praying and wishing that you’d turn things around. Instead, my hope and focus should be on you alone. Help me look to you. Please come be my Hope. Amen.
A SISTA'S JOURNEY 