Life is Hard … and There is Still Reason to Hope
@bethvogt
I’ve backed away from this blog post numerous times.
I’ve rethought the topic, but the theme continues to sit there and stare at me without blinking.
Life is hard.
Yes, I’m the same woman who just blogged about wearing Life is Good T-shirts as a reminder to look for the good in life.
But sometimes circumstances weigh us down. Maybe we’re facing something unexpected. Something daunting. Or maybe someone we love, a family member or friend, is struggling.
We confront incomprehensible tragedies blaring across the national news every single day.
In my little corner of the world? My heart has been burdened for family members and friends facing challenges and heartaches. Unexpected medical diagnoses. Financial struggles. Betrayals. Yes, even tragic deaths.
I’ve gotten to the point I want to resort to the childish behavior of sticking my fingers in my ears and singing, “La la la la la … I can’t hear you!”
I just can’t anymore with bad news.
Today as I mulled over this blog post I kept shifting my shoulders – literally moving my shoulders back and forth – trying to bear up under the emotional weight of all the different things I’ve heard about. Things I’m praying about.
No amount of adjusting my shoulders lifted the burden in my heart.
Life is hard.
Sometimes circumstances fray our hope, turning it into a fragile thing to hold on to.
The question becomes: What are we hoping for?
Am I merely hoping for a good life for me, for my family, for my friends?
Or am I hoping to see God’s provision in the midst of all of life’s circumstances? Am I trusting that yes, He will bring something good out of this very bad situation I find myself in? Or the situation my friend is facing?
The hope I hold onto is not a close-my-eyes-and-ignore-what’s-going-on kind of hope.
No.
This is the kind of hope that helps me face the reality of life with my eyes wide open. This grace-filled hope bears up under the full weight of whatever is burdening my heart.
Life is hard … and there is a real God who offers us hope that helps us get through the hard, hard days.
I don’t know if you needed to hear this or not … but I know I did.
Life is Hard ... and There is Still Reason to Hope #faith #grace
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'Each day we hold things in our heart, sometimes these things are heavy. Carrying God's grace with us each and every day lightens life's load.' #quote by actor Ron Baratono #hope #grace
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