And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in You. -Psalm 39:7
One definition of hope is the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.
When you are hoping for something, of course you are anticipating only the best of results. And when you first start out, your expectations are high and you are pretty confident that what you are hoping for will come to pass. But as time goes on and you’re not seeing the results you thought you would, you start to get discouraged. Your hopefulness turns into hopelessness.
Hopelessness is a dangerous place to be because it will lead to a loss of joy, discontentment, and even depression. These things cause you to miss out on all the blessings God has for you right now.
Loosing hope tends to happen because you are focusing too much on yourself and your problem. When you begin to turn the focus toward your problem-SOLVER, that’s when your hope will be renewed and the strength to stand will return. Who is your problem solver? Jesus, of course! He is the ONLY one in which we should be putting our hope.
How do I this, you ask?
- PRAYER Philippians 4:6 says: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. Make sure you are in prayer everyday. Prayer isn’t just for you to ask God for things like He is Santa Clause, but to THANK Him for the blessings He’s already given you and for the blessings that are to come. Just speak His word back to Him and believe that it will come to pass at His perfect timing.
- TRUST Proverbs 4:5 says: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. God is in control. Trust that He knows what He is doing and wants only the very best for you. Even when you are not seeing the results you think you should be seeing, know that He is working. He is constantly working to prepare you for your promise. And it will be at the most perfect time. Then, and only then, will you be able to look back and see all the little details that God had been putting in place, just for you.
- BELIEVE 2 Corinthians 1:20 says: For all the promises of God are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. God’s word is full of promises and they are in there just for YOU. God PROMISES that you will have children in Psalm 113:9 – He grants the barren woman a home, like a joyful mother of children. Believe it. No matter what the doctors have told you, choose to believe God’s report!
- REMEMBER Song of Solomon 4:7 says: You are all fair, my love, and there is no spot in you. Remind yourself daily that even though your promise has not yet come to pass, you are NOT broken, you are WORTHY and you have an IDENTITY. Ask God what He would have you do right now to bless someone else. You may think that task seems too hard based on your circumstances, but if you just start small – a smile, a short conversation, treating a friend to coffee – you’ll soon realize that by taking the focus off yourself, your hope and joy are returning.
For further reading about hope, I recommend the book, Hannah’s Hope.
The author introduces you to Hannah, from the Bible, and shares her own story of infertility and loss. It is intended to help guide you into seeking God’s heart so that you can make wise decisions as you go through the journey of this tough season.
Also, you can join an 8-week bible reading plan titled, A Seed of Hope During Infertility at https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/858-a-seed-of-hope-during-infertility
Do you have something to add to this list of ways to maintain hope? Share them with me in the comments!