Dang. The topic of “Hope” seems to be following me everywhere these days. I find myself saying, “Go Away, I don’t want to deal with you now!!” It is popping its annoying head up around every corner. Ugh! Not just in printed word, but hearing people talk about it. Here I am trying to avoid dealing with the feeling/emotion, and boom there it is again.
Why am I having soooooo much trouble accepting hope? I can answer that.....I am scared of the outcome. An outcome which would lead me to freedom! Can you believe that? Here I have the opportunity for something positive to experience, and I am scared to death to pursue it! Well, it makes sense when you were brought up with negativness, trauma, fear and controlling issues, you know no other way, I guess. So I avoid and run....... no wonder I am tired and whipped. Our bodies were not made to fight these battles!
So, with all that said, seeing in the subject line of my email this morning from my daily subscription from NACR Daily Mediation with the Ryan’s in bold letters, “Those Who Hope In The Lord,” I knew I was in trouble.
Leads me to believe and continue to ask, “Lord are you trying to tell me something?”
Duh!!!
Those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31
Hope gives us strength. We need strength for the journey of recovery. We need strength to make the changes that need to be made -- and strength to grieve the losses which come with change. We need strength to keep on keeping on. Recovery requires a great deal of physical, emotional and spiritual strength. We draw that strength day-to-day from hope.
There are times when hope will allow us to soar. We will feel the exhilaration of change and new freedom. We will think about the future and imagine good things. We will soar with gratitude and joy because of hope.
There are other times when hope will allow us to run and not grow weary. We will keep going. Keep changing. Keep working. Keep feeling. We may get tired but hope will keep us from getting weary and wanting to give up. Hope helps us to keep running.
There are other times when hope will allow us to walk without fainting. Some days, in our recovery journey, continuing the journey at all is very difficult. The struggle we face may be so intense that we would faint if it were not for hope. But hope helps us to take the next step. One slow step at a time. Step by step, without fainting.
Thank you, Lord, for the gift of hope.
Thank you for the days when hope
allows me to soar.
And for the days when it
allows me to keep running.
And thank you for the days when hope
gives me the courage to walk
without fainting.
Thank you for hope.
Amen.
****
Even though I have been avoiding accepting hope, it appears that I am walking with it. As stated above, “We may get tired but hope will keep us from getting weary and wanting to give up. Hope helps us to keep running.”
It happens sometime. We think we are hopeless but deep inside there is hope.
ReplyDeleteStrange.
oh i understand that... too scared to do, just in case you might achieve it. give it some time, you'll know the right time, when you will be ready...
ReplyDelete"Hope"...Well, ya know God 'talks' to me through people. Especially in AA He 'talks' to me at meetings. Imagine, for a couple bucks in the pot I get three cups of coffee, an hour of GOD 'talking' to me, and a whole bunch of friendship, support, and true love. And I get to give some of that, also!
ReplyDeleteNow, there is yet HOPE for me, dontcha think?
Love,
Me
That is really interesting. It is like hope is the one holding us up and giving us strength through our promblems. I know I have Jesus, but I am imagining in my head that the word hope is carring me down the road. Helping me get to the next destination. Striving for each step till I reach the end of the tunnel, you know the end with the light. It is crazy I know, but it is cool. It is like when Jesus said to the disciples, when I leave I will send you a comforter. You will never be alone. That is cool, I am so blessed to be going on this journey with you. I am really praying for you.
ReplyDeleteI believe you are walking with hope and just don't realize it. You have great strength as you push forward on this path of healing. You wouldn't be able to do that without hope.
ReplyDeleteTrudge on JBR you can do it.
ReplyDeleteThose who hope in the Lord will not be disappointed. Isaiah 49:23
ReplyDeleteI love the book of Isaiah...I named mt third child after the book...thankyou I needed this today
ReplyDeletelove, Z
As always, thank you all very much for your feedback and encouragement.
ReplyDeleteHi and thank you so much for your encouraging comments on my blog.
ReplyDeleteAt the moment I am feeling kind of hopeless, finding it hard to trust God. I can't even go to church - too depressed.
Thanks so much for your honest posts. It helps me to realise I am not the only one feeling like this.
God Bless
Amber
There is always hope. Even when we don't want it, it's there. It is one of the gifts that God literally put within us. I will pray that you can see it as a blessing. :)
ReplyDeleteLiza, thank you for your encouraging words.
ReplyDeleteAmbersun, I continue to pray for strength for you in this area.
Colleen, thank you for your comment!
ReplyDelete