Hope

   "And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in You." - Psalm 39:7

I came across this verse this morning and have been meditating on it a bit today. It brought me great reassurance and peace. Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. As I was thinking about what this verse means to me, I came to the realization of how often I put my hopes in the things of this world. I somehow expect for this world to meet my desires, but it's the exact opposite. This world will only disappoint and break us when we put all our hope in it. 

   God is the source for the reason we have hope. Without Him and what He did for us, we wouldn't have anything true to put our hope in. The world has a way of distracting us and pulling us towards desiring the things of this world. We so often put our hope into things around us or the people around us, expecting them to be able to satisfy us. A lot of hurt and brokenness are caused and experienced when we do this. We expect so much from this world and then get disappointed when it lets us down. 

   It's at moments like these that I realize how much I am in need of something more, something greater. I realize my need for a Savior. I find that my greatest desire is to be able to put my hope in something that will never fail me or let me down, God. He will give us everything we need and treasure our desires, hopes, and dreams. What a wonderful thought it is to think that we are each made by God's hands and dreamed up in His heart. The world's ways are judgmental, hurtful, and can cause us to doubt ourselves, but God tells us we are cherished and loved.

   Sometimes we can very easily lose hope. We experience a certain situation or circumstance and because of the hurt it causes us, we give up. We wonder where God is in the midst of our pain and heartache. We have questions and uncertainties. The thought of being hopeful seems distant. God knew we would experience many trials in this life, but He has promised us that He is our hope. Despite our circumstances and the changes around us, He is our rock and will stand firm during the storm. 

   God is love. God is truth. God is hope. When we surrender our lives to Him and stop putting our hope into the superficial things of this world, but instead in God and the plans He has for our lives, we will be blessed. God desires our hearts and to give us each the security and hope that we so desperately search for. He will fulfill His plan in our lives and point us to the purpose He has given each of us as we go forward, confident in His hope.