•Saturday, October 31, 2009
“No one whose hope is in you, Lord, will ever be put to shame” Psalm 25:3 NIV.
As I wait for God to work out the things I cannot control in my life, I remember the Hebrew enslavement in Egypt. They had been slaves for what seemed like forever and all the sudden Moses shows up and says: “I’m here to bust you out.” They probably felt a new and powerful hope surge through them. Freedom!
But then he goes before the Pharaoh, and they don’t get set free. They’re made to work harder. In fact, every time Moses goes to the Pharaoh to ask for their freedom, something bad happens. Now they’re thinking, “Maybe we should just let things be.”
Sometimes, it seems, living in slavery is easier because I know what to expect. But when I suddenly have hope of immediate delivery—only to be disappointed again and again—I begin to not only lose hope, but grow bitter and resentful. “Nothing’s ever going to change.” And I refuse to get my hopes up again.
The hope-disappointment cycle is emotionally exhausting. But as we know, the Hebrew slaves were eventually given their freedom. How do we live with hope in the presence of disappointment?
Well, what did God actually promise you and me? First of all, he promised to always be with us. This gives me the hope that whatever happens, God will give me the strength to endure it. Secondly, he gave the promise of future blessing to those who are faithful. Now I have to—uh-oh!—wait patiently and keep my emotions under submission.
As I wait for God to work out the things I cannot control in my life, I remember the Hebrew enslavement in Egypt. They had been slaves for what seemed like forever and all the sudden Moses shows up and says: “I’m here to bust you out.” They probably felt a new and powerful hope surge through them. Freedom!
But then he goes before the Pharaoh, and they don’t get set free. They’re made to work harder. In fact, every time Moses goes to the Pharaoh to ask for their freedom, something bad happens. Now they’re thinking, “Maybe we should just let things be.”
Sometimes, it seems, living in slavery is easier because I know what to expect. But when I suddenly have hope of immediate delivery—only to be disappointed again and again—I begin to not only lose hope, but grow bitter and resentful. “Nothing’s ever going to change.” And I refuse to get my hopes up again.
The hope-disappointment cycle is emotionally exhausting. But as we know, the Hebrew slaves were eventually given their freedom. How do we live with hope in the presence of disappointment?
Well, what did God actually promise you and me? First of all, he promised to always be with us. This gives me the hope that whatever happens, God will give me the strength to endure it. Secondly, he gave the promise of future blessing to those who are faithful. Now I have to—uh-oh!—wait patiently and keep my emotions under submission.
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