We live in a world that lacks hope. Trials, sickness, loss abounds and people sink beneath its heavy load. Without hope people despair. Hope gives people a vision of how things could be.  Proverbs 13:12 says Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Maybe you have lost hope. It’s a dark place to be without hope.

Dear Lord, I pray for those who are reading this article. Lord, we know this world will have many trials but you told us in John 16:33 that the world would have troubles, but you’ve also told us that you have overcome the world. Help us to reflect on all you’ve done in our lives, and if we don’t know you personally, then God, lead us to this truth so we can know we have eternal life. I pray this in your Son’s precious and Holy name.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.

I have gone through many trials, as I’m sure you have as well. As long as I’m breathing in and out I will face other trials too. I have learned who I can lean on. He’s the same one David leaned on, time after time.

God is a solid rock

In Psalm 39:7, David asks, “And now, Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.

In trials, I have found great comfort in hymns that were written long ago. Hymns that encouraged the hearts of those who were struggling. And because I would sing these hymns, again and again, many of the words are stored away in the closet of my mind. I open that closet door and let them float out to comfort me. And they always do.

In 1863, Edward Mote wrote the words to a wonderful hymn, The Solid Rock.

My hope is built on nothing less,
than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus name.

 On Christ the solid rock I stand
all other ground is sinking sand
all other ground is sinking sand.

When we trust in anything other than God, we will be disappointed.

In Psalm 146:3. God tells us not to trust in princes. And yet, sometimes we put others on pedestals. People were not made to be on pedestals. They can fall off easily. Instead, we are to trust in the Prince of Peace, the everlasting Father. We are to trust in God.

God never fails

Another hymn which has been a life preserver for me is the hymn, Jesus Never Fails. This one was written by A.A. Luther, someone who had a burning desire to be a missionary, even as a child. When he was older, he had a son. When his son became sick Luther received the telegraph and he felt utterly helpless. He went to his piano and let his fingers wander over the keys and this hymn was the result. No wonder it speaks so loudly to those who hurt.

Earthly friends may prove untrue,
doubts and fears assail;
One still loves and cares for you,
one who will not fail.
Jesus never fails,
Jesus never fails;
Heav’n and earth may pass away
but Jesus never fails.

Those who don’t know God live without hope. But as long as they are alive, there is still the chance they may come to find out about the one who loves them more than anyone else ever did, or ever will.

God is available

People love stores which stay open 24 hours. When we sometimes forget an item, we have the opportunity to run to one of these stores. We have a God who is also available 24/7.

Scripture tells us we can call upon God. God’s line will never be busy. No other calls will bump ours. And we won’t get the message:

Your call is important to us; please leave a message and we will call you back in the order in which your call was received.

Psalm 116:2 reminds us that we have the opportunity to call on the Lord whenever we need him. He will always be there for us.

God will rescue us

I grew up with many heroes on TV. There were westerns where the girl would wait for the cowboy to show up and save the day. I’m sure I thought one day someone would enter my life like that. But our spouse was never meant to be our rescuer. But God is.

God is almighty, all-knowing. God is the God of all time. He is ever-present. How can we not trust the very one who gave us life?

And no one loves us like God does. Read John 15:13. No one. And when did God love us? Not when we were at our best, but when we were at our worst. Read Romans 5:8.

God didn’t say clean yourself up and come to me, he said: “You are dirty, come to me and I will make you clean.”

I think sometimes we forget this simple truth.

God never changes

Sometimes the enemy of our soul whispers lies to us. Lies like:

“Yes, God helped you before, but he’s tired of helping you. He’s done.”

Read Hebrews 13:8,  and James 1:17. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever, and God doesn’t change, nor does he get tired.

It’s helpful to do what David did when he fought Goliath. David remembered how God had been with him when David fought a lion when he fought a bear. David knew that God would still be with him. That God didn’t change.

So when God works in our lives, it would be wise to write those times down.  Then, like David, we can reflect on how God helped us before and he’ll help us again.

Jesus was talking to his disciples. Read Luke 18:27. God likes doing what is impossible because there’s no question as to who did it.

God will always love you

I’m sure you know that God loves you. You sang about it as a child, “Jesus loves me this I know…” You memorized John 3:16 about God loving the world so much… But what I’m telling you is that he will always love you.

We can’t do anything that will make God love us more, remember, he loved us when we were sinners. We’re still sinners, but we’re forgiven if we’ve trusted in Jesus.

God is not a fair-weather God. Sometimes, we make the mistake of thinking if we act good, God will love us more. In case you don’t think you have fallen into that trap, let me ask you one question.

When are you more likely to ask God for something, when you’ve just come from church, praising God, or when you’ve blown it?

When we trusted in what Jesus did on the cross for us, we became God’s children. God loves you with a pure heart. He’s our heavenly Father.

Dear Lord, I pray for those who are reading this article. Lord, we know this world will have many trials but you told us in John 16:33 that the world would have troubles, but you’ve also told us that you have overcome the world. Help us to reflect on all you’ve done in our lives, and if we don’t know you personally, then God, lead us to this truth so we can know we have eternal life. I pray this in your Son’s precious and Holy name. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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