Choose to Hope

Have you ever felt hopeless? Does your internal dialog take you down the road of, “What’s the use?

Admitting that things are adversely impacting you is scary. Taking steps to advance you towards change is even scarier. Sometimes things are hard and just seem impossible. The prospect of it being different can feel unrealistic and overwhelming. Discouragement takes root, and you begin to discount the idea before you even get started. When failure in the past has prevailed, it’s hard to remain positive about trying again. Deciding to do a new thing starts with the decision to try anew. But this time you have to do it with the positivity of hope.

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” (Isaiah 43:18–19)

Despite the scariness that today’s realities are bringing, God is still doing something new. And what he is doing is still good. He is renewing things even now. He is blowing away ruins and bringing life where there was no life before. Bodies of water are clearing. Satellite images are showing a dramatic drop in pollution. The earth is renewing itself of toxicity.

You must do the same and renew yourself. All the tensions you are experiencing being crammed together with loved ones brings out your sin so it can be dug up by the root. What is happening right now may be uncomfortable but it can still be profitable. But only if you use this time wisely. Take your emotions, fear, anxiety, anger, frustration and worry to God so he can help you destroy it. This time can end for you as a time like creation is experiencing. As a time of renewal, of removing toxicity and pollution that fills your life.

So, stop clinging to what life used to be. Stop looking backward and start looking forward to what is ahead. Build your strength, deal with internal strife, pull in closer to God and listen closely. He is speaking. What was before will fade away and tomorrow will be a different day.

He is speaking. He is saying “I am making a new way sweet child. Will you follow the path that is hard right now to streams of joy for tomorrow?”

Choose today to hope. Look ahead to where God is. He is still doing a good thing.