The holidays come with a lot of expectations. This can be a glaring reminder of all that hasn’t changed in the past 365 days - and I’ll raise my hand first to say I’m walking into this season with a lot of unmet expectations in tow.
Between the busyness of the season, shopping for gifts, and trying to finish all of our work before taking time off, it's hard to find time to process the unfulfilled dreams we may have had for this time of year.
Which leaves room for hopelessness to creep in.
But Isaiah 40:31 reminds us that we can still have hope in the midst of disappointment: “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.”
When we put our hope “in the LORD” and not in our circumstances, we don’t have to let disappointments define our whole year. Every year can be marked by hope in the midst of what has been hard.
Hope in the Lord is the best kind of hope. The kind we don’t have to be afraid of letting us down. The kind that doesn’t make us embarrassed, disappointed, or ashamed. Rather, it helps us run the race of life God has gifted us with. And we don’t have to stay weary in the waiting; the Lord gives us strength for each step.
We need the hope of Christmas this year more than ever. Not in the Hallmark-y, happy-ending sort of way but for the real reason we celebrate: Our Savior came and is coming again soon. And that’s worth putting all our hope in.
Let’s define our years with hope. The hope of life to come. The hope of something so much better than what’s right in front of us that we can’t even wrap our minds around it. The hope that strengthens us day by day.
- Meghan Ryan Asbury
Provided by "Proverbs 31 Ministries"