Hope

I just read Matthew 11:1-19. It rocked me. I mean rocked me hard. Things aren't easy for Desi and I trying to move to Charlotte. People haven't done things they said they would, and jobs just aren't working out. It's stressing us out to no end. But after reading Matthew 11:1-19, I see that even an amazing man like John, whom Jesus says there is no one like, still went through some serious crap.

John was in prison and asked Jesus if he was really the guy everyone was waiting for. Of course Jesus says, "Yes." Then Jesus turns to a crowd and tells them that John was the 2nd Elijah, and that there has never been anyone on earth like John. But John stayed in jail. This is what I wrote in my journal after reading this...

I'm right there with John. I'm in a bad spot. Things look pretty grim right now. I can't see the light at the end of the tunnel. I don't even see an end. I don't know what to do. What more can I do? What else is there to do. Desi's stressed and I can't help. It makes me feel so helpless. I need help. There's nothing more that I can do, but there's always something God can do. God can provide Desi with a job. He can provide me with a job. He can provide us with more support than we could even imagine.

But it's hard to believe that when you can't see it. It's hard to believe in any good when all you see in bad. It's hard to believe in light when all you see is darkness.

But I've seen light come out of the darkness. I've seen peace in stressful situations. I've seen money come in when it's needed. I've seen God succeed when man failed. I've been hurt, then shown love. I've seen God's provision first hand. He's taken care of us before, so why should I doubt He would do it again? He has provided. He is providing. And He will provide.

I've been given hope before, and now I take it.

I will not be shaken. I will not lose faith. And I will not give up on hope!

I know I'm not the first person to feel this helpless. And I know I'm not the first to try to rise above it. But this is the first time I've felt like this so strongly. But thanks to Matthew 11:1-19, I will never again have an excuse to lose faith in God. My hope now is that you don't either.