Hope
Psalm 43:5 - “O my soul, why be so gloomy and discouraged? Trust in God! I shall again praise Him for His wondrous help; He will make me smile again, for He is my God!”  TLB

Are you discouraged today?  Are you sad?  There are many things that come into our lives and for the most part, no one knows what they are except you.  I cannot see into your mind or your heart neither can any other human being.  People often wander through their days holding, hiding secret hurts and discouragement.  David, it seems, was experiencing that very thing.  He, too was discouraged and sad.  This will age me, but do you remember the words of this song; “Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.”?  For some it is not just rainy days and Mondays, it is an everyday experience.

There is an individual in my life that just seems to experience more than their share of let downs and defeats.  They have every human reason to be sad, depressed and discouraged.  But every time we talk, I hear these words, “It’s all good.”  Now I know and they know it isn’t all good, but somewhere in their heart and mind they choose to believe the promises of God that somehow this will turn out good.  I know this can be a cover up as well, and I know it isn’t with them, but let me ask you a question; “Can God work more easily through a heart that believes it can all work out to make them better or a person who covers up their hurts, hangs on to them, and somehow believes this is just their lot in life?”

David was willing to at least admit he was discouraged and sad.  There is healing in confession of where we are in our journey.  David’s healing came as he confessed his hurt because as he did, he realized his help was not in himself, but in God.  He did not put his hope in himself or any person or any self-help philosophy - he placed his hope in God.

Are you discouraged today?  Are you sad?  Confess it to God and begin the healing process.  After you confess where you really are, then make this statement, “I will put my hope in God!”  Will it make all the troubles disappear?  Probably not, but it might just change your attitude for the day and place you in a position to hear from the God you acknowledge as your Hope.  I believe as you acknowledge the source of your Hope, Hope will begin to spring forth into your heart as the tulips pop up in the Spring from underneath the burden of winter.

You are loved, Pastor Roger