Graphic by Jordan
Guest post by Kristin Vanderlip
I never thought I could lose hope, until I did. Faith and hope were easy when life was going well, but when losses and trials cascaded into my life, everything unraveled, including my hope.
A decade ago, I moved away from everything I had ever known, lost my dad to cancer, and buried my child. The brightly colored future I had painted for myself, full of hopes and dreams, was erased in one swift motion like chalk from a chalkboard. All I could see was black.
Everything seemed lost, including my hope as I wrestled with God. I felt alone and full of shame. I didn’t know where to turn, so I turned to Scripture. When I came across Lamentations, I found my very thoughts on the page of an Old Testament book:
“Then I thought, ‘My future is lost, as well as my hope from the LORD.’” (3:18 CSB)
But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.” Lamentations 3:21-24 | ESV
Turns out my hope had been misplaced. Hope rooted in things that are temporary and wavering will fail us. But hope rooted in the Lord's unwavering, faithful love will never will.
Life will be hard and will hurt at times, hopelessness might beckon, but we have a choice. Let us choose to call to mind God’s faithful love. As we do, we will find hope return. Some days we might need to hold on with a white knuckle grip. But we can hold on to a hope that lasts.