Hope

Our church has an annual tradition of opening up the microphone on the last Sunday of the year to give testimony to what God has done this year. Some walked through fiery trials in 2010. Some had a year of celebration. Some had both.

As I sat and listened to some of the ways God has been moving in our community, I wondered which one of the MANY ways God has shown his faithfulness I would share, should I muster up enough courage to talk into a microphone in front of a large group of people. I couldn't really think of just one, and certainly not one that could be shared briefly. But this scripture came to mind:

But 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

I constantly battle fear. In fact, I think it would be appropriate to say that I constantly battle against being paralyzed by fear. It can consume me. It can even have physical manifestations, usually heart palpitations (and yes, I've been checked to make sure it isn't something else). It isn't fear of dogs or fear of spiders, or something that I can avoid. I fear the unknown. I fear what will happen to our family if Brian can't go back to a full-time position at Blackhawk (which at the moment is exactly what we're facing). I fear what will happen to my husband and our relationship and our home dynamic if the stress of work/finances returns. I fear what will happen to me and how I will treat my family when I feel that stress of how to stretch every dollar as far as humanly possible.

And then I think of this verse. Hope in the Lord. Like joy and faith, it isn't dependent on our circumstances. And it doesn't say if we Hope in the Lord we will get what we want. It says we will have renewed strength. Strength to endure. Strength to keep going. Strength to stick with it for the long haul.

So I'm turning my fears over to the Lord, hoping in Him, and awaiting renewed strength for the journey that lies ahead.