Holding On To Hope {Day 7: Hope}

“What strength do I have, that I should hope?

And what is my end, that I should prolong my life?

Job 6:11 (NKJV)

“Have I enough strength to go on waiting?
What end can I expect, that I should be patient?

Job 6:11 (CJB)

Google defines hope as, "a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen." Not long ago I read a book by Dr. Michelle Bengtson called Hope Prevails Insights from a Doctor's Personal Journey Through Depression and also her Bible Study book by the same name and it blessed my heart and helped me through some very hard times. It reminded me of the hope I have in my relationship with God. Hope for His promises to come to pass. Hope for eternal life with Him. 

"And you would be secure, because there is hope; Yes, you would dig around you, and take your rest in safety." 

Job 11:18 (NKJV)

"You will be confident, because there is hope; you will look around you and lie down secure;" 

~Job 11:18 (CJB)

When I read our word prompt for today I immediately thought about Job. I don't know if he would be the one to come to mind for many people when they think of the word hope. Job had everything taken from him, his family, his wealth, his health and yet never sinned. He must have had hope in the promises and character of God even if he didn't understand what was happening or why it was happening.

"Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshiped. And he said:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

And naked shall I return there.

The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;

Blessed be the name of the Lord.”

 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong."

~Job 1:20-22 (NKJV)

 "Iyov got up, tore his coat, shaved his head, fell down on the ground and worshipped; he said,

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

and naked I will return there.

Adonai gave; Adonai took;

blessed be the name of Adonai.”

In all this Iyov neither committed a sin nor put blame on God."

~Job 1:20-22 (CJB)

Prior to the scripture I shared above Job had already been informed that he had lost his livestock, servants, and his son's and daughters. "...he fell to the ground and worshiped." "...Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong." Instead he, he blessed the Name of the Lord." In my hopelessness I cave into myself, I don't bless the LORD, I don't fall down to the ground and worship Him. I sin, by speaking words of death instead of life. I may not blame God but I don't always praise Him in the midst of the storm. Sometimes I let go of hope and crawl into the darkness and wallow in self-pity. Sometimes this is intentional and sometimes it stems from things that aren't always in my control. Either way, I am not like Job and today I long to be. I want to make worship and blessing the LORD's name my priority on the hard days as easily as the good days. 

Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast to your integrity? Curse God and die!”

 But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.

~Job 2:9-10 (NKJV)

 His wife asked him, “Why do you still hold on to your integrity? Curse God, and die!”  But he answered her, “You’re talking like a low-class woman! Are we to receive the good at God’s hands but reject the bad?” In all this Iyov did not say one sinful word.

 ~Job 2:9-10 (CJB)

We have not been promised an easy life filled with endless days of happiness and prosperity. We will endure hardship, we will endure rejection, we will endure sadness, we will endure pain, we will endure sickness, and much more. However, if we hold on to hope we can live in joy, peace, and filled with God's love in the midst of the storms. We can smile genuinely without having to wear a mask. We can share our stories with all honesty and truth even when it is hard so that others will not feel alone and can find that same hope. 

And the Lord restored Job’s losses when he prayed for his friends. Indeed the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. 

~Job 42:10 (NKJV)

 When Iyov prayed for his friends, Adonai restored his fortunes; Adonai gave Iyov twice as much as he had had before. 

~Job 42:10 (CJB)

Hope in God will allow us to encourage and pray for others who are going through hardships. Hope in the storms of life will bring us closer to God and will keep us from falling into Satan's trap of lies. Today hold on to hope!