Hope within Pain

Hope can be a tricky word. It can be a casual word as we hope that our team will win the big game, or we have hope that the weather will be great for our big event, as a child our hopes can involve simple things like mom making our favorite meal, or going to the play ground to play. It is a word that can be loosely thrown around as you go through your day, your life; or it can become a bigger word in your life if you turn your hopes toward the Lord Jesus Christ. I was confronted with a person recently who didn't sound like they had much hope; I was talking about spending eternity with Jesus and they interpreted it as if I would be spending an "eternity being dead." The conversation brought tears to my eyes, because I know with out a doubt that death will not have a hold on me when it comes. I will be alive with Christ and spend my eternity with Him. You see I have to have this hope in Christ because this world I am living in right now is so painful some days. I have given my faith and trust to Him and I search for this hope in His word. He gives me the strength day by day, just like the Israelite people received manna from heaven each day as they needed it. They received just enough to survive for that day, they had to go out and gather it and prepare it to nourish their bodies though; thus I gather my bible and my devotional and search His word for my hope. I struggle in my life with brokenhearted painful situations; things like loved ones that are far from the Lord, also over a disease that is stealing the life of my grandson. In the book ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT ADVERSITY; Dr David Jeremiah says-- "Obviously none of us longs for struggles, for suffering, but in the reality of life it does come to us all at some point. No, we would rather not feel the sting of pain. But God does have a purpose in pain that we may not understand in the present. He may be using it to drive us to Him as our only hope, our only source of dependence." I have been driven to the Lord, to my bible-His word, and yes they are my only source of dependence. When we feel like we can't take another moment of the hurting we can reach out to our Savior to literally save us. I can't even remember how many times I have done this very thing. In the book THE ONE YEAR BOOK OF HOPE by Nancy Guthrie she says, "I have delved deep in His word to confront my very real fears, feelings, and thoughts with scriptural truth. His truth can sooth our fears, change our feelings and shapes our thoughts." Whether in the sunshine of life or in a storm there are promises of hope in God's word to meet all of our needs, to give us peace amid the problems and strength for every struggle. One of my favorite truths in the bible comes from Philippians 4: 6-7--- Don't worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand,. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. There it is my hope within pain—— Adversity is not something we want to go through, but God can and will get us through it and as I struggle through my painful situations I would rather put my hope and faith in Him and not this world. Romans 15:13---I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace as you trust in him. Then you will have more and more hope and it will flow out of you by the power of the Holy Spirit. Cynthia Mealhow