In this ever-changing world, where do we place our hope?
We know that this year has been a challenging one to all of us. Our normal is disrupted by this pandemic. Many plans were thwarted. In an instant, many things have changed. People live in a sudden chaos. If there is one thing that this pandemic has taught us is this: Nothing is permanent in this world. There is no guarantee that things will still be the same any moment from now. As what most people whose life have changed in a matter of second, “Life can change in an instant.”
Many of us are still clinging on to the idea that life will be back to normal. Others have easily adapted this so-called “new normal.” Yet, at the back of our minds, we have that hope that one day, things will be the same again. I had that hope, too. But as days pass by, I realized that holding on to that concept, makes me feel bitter. I had so many plans this year. But none of those was fulfilled. Will this time ever get better? I still hope for that.
But there is this different hope that we can cling on that will not leave us disappointed and frustrated. The hope that we can find in God.
Whenever we try to find hope in the temporal things, we often fail. So where do we anchor our hope? Where our hope lies affects the way we view things. If our hope lies somewhere, then we will surely go after it.
David, on the other hand, had chosen to find his hope in the Lord. In Psalm 42, we see the broken heart of David and his hopelessness. I have read that David wrote this book during those times that his son Absalom rebelled against and tried to dethroned him. How hurtful that would be when your own blood betrays you? Yes, it happens. Nonetheless, we see in the life of David that he chose to get closer with God instead of fighting. There are times in our Christian life when we don’t need to fight for our rights. We don’t need to devise our own plans. We just need to be still and let God fight for us. It is so tempting to get even, I know. However, remember that if we take things on our hands, we can just do just much. But when God does His righteous judgment, our enemies will really see that our God is mighty and powerful. By being defenseless, God gets the glory.
This pandemic causes us to become defenseless. The chaos that it brings caught us off-guard. Regardless of this virus is man-made or not, we don’t have the capacity to know the people behind. The only hope that we have is that God holds our lives and He is able to protect us, even against our enemies (whoever they might be).
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” Psalm 42:11
Our hope is not in people, nor in the government, nor in things. Our hope is in the Lord alone who is able turn bad things into good, discouragements into hope, and mourning into joy.
When we think that God has forgotten us, let’s take a pause. Ponder. Meditate. Most likely, God is working on the background. He will never leave us defeated. But as we walk in the path of trial, discouragements will come alongside. There is this aching loneliness inside our soul that longs to make things better and in order. Take heart, it is not our responsibility to solve all those problems and messy things in life.
How then, can we find hope in chaos?
- Learn to be still in the Lord.
“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10
2. Never put trust in men but God.
“It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.” Psalm 118:8-9
3. Entrust our future to God.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11
4. Find encouragement in the Lord and be an encouragement to others.
“And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.” 1 Samuel 30:6
“And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25
This world is full of discouragements. Uncertainties suddenly arise without warning. The future seems vague and unclear. However, if we have entrusted our lives to Him who holds our future, then no matter what’s going on or how chaotic our environment is, we will not worry.
In the midst of chaos, God is peace.
In hopelessness, God is Hope.
In discouragements, God is the source of joy.
Let our troubled soul find rest in His loving arms.
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