Because it’s true. Unconditional hope is true. That’s WHY I write.
To be honest, I’ve never really liked “why“. It only seemed to cause people more pain. My preferred question has been “what’s next Lord”. That question seemed much more useful.
Yet today there is a pressure within me to share with you my “why”. In doing so, I’m also seeing that why is not limited to my one-dimensional “danger, danger – this will only make life more painful and frustrating category”.
Ha! I just heard in my spirit as I typed the paragraph above “used appropriately, why can actually be a rallying cry; an invitation to discovery; and the motivation to persevere”.
Well Jesus, any or all of those 3 things are reason enough for me to write this post!
Life for me continues to be very full of big opportunities for God to show up, also sometimes called challenges and/or problems. If you’re wondering whether some of the “big opportunities for God to show up” in my life are repeats, the answer is yes. But that doesn’t mean there is no hope or God does not love me. It only proves I have an enemy seeking to destroy me. (1 Peter 5:8, John 10:10) My list of “big opportunities” will look very different from your list, but I have no doubt you have a list. How do I know that?
I have told you these things,
so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence.
In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration;
but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]!
For I have overcome the world.
[I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]
John 16:33 – Amplified Translation
My “why” rallying cry to you is: don’t give up. Regardless of your circumstance there is unconditional hope. Our enemy wants you to doubt that truth. He likes the word “if”. (Matthew 4:3-11) If God loved you; if God was merciful; if God was all powerful then “fill in the blank” would not look this way/be this way/have happened. Over and over and over in my life I have both personally experienced and witnessed in the lives of countless others God taking what the enemy purposed for evil and turning it to His good purpose just as He did for Joseph (Genesis 50:20).
My “why” invitation of discovery to you is: wrestle with God. He welcomes your gut-level questions because He already knows what you are carrying around inside of you. He wants you to know so that He can provide real answers that will bring freedom to your life, changing the way you walk through life. (Isaiah 1:18). Wrestling with God literally changed Jacob’s identity to Israel “one who wrestles with God”. That wrestling occurred when Jacob believed he was in a hopeless situation and his past was about to catch up with him and destroy him. Jacob could not reconcile God’s promises of blessing to what he was seeing in his circumstances. It took wrestling with God to release into Jacob’s life the fullness of what God had purposed for Jacob including who he had created him to be, Israel. (Genesis 32)
My “why” persevere motivation to you is: every success story you’ve ever seen can be you. How do I know that? His mercies are new every morning; His faithfulness is great; and, His love never ends. (Lamentations 3:22-23). His purposes are to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11) How am I so sure life can be different? I’ve never seen 2 identical sunrises or sunsets, have you? Yesterday’s tomorrow is now today and completely unique. What’s so great about unique? Good question. “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9)
Back to my original question – why do I write, because unconditional hope is real. Been there. Done that. Got a life that proves it.
Hope Without Limits 
Came at a good time in my life for me to read. I myself had just thought in the last few days “If” God loved me why would I feel NO better day after day after day. Sometimes I feel a shell of the old “do it all” person I was. I keep on and keep on praying each day.
Linda – what if “doing it all” is not really who you are? What if the qualities that make you, you are really the blessings you carry for “your world”, i.e., the lives with whom you interact. What qualities/gifts would you want to impart to the ones you love that they would carry with them always? For me it is being hope, love, joy, authenticity and healing. It’s about being, not doing. My prayer for you is our Heavenly Father will open the eyes of your heart to see you the way He sees you!
Thank you so much for sharing this…. exactly what I needed to hear.
And your appreciation has encouraged me! Thank you.
I’ve been in a financial crunch for years now. I don’t want to be wealthy, I just want to find a job that enables me to survive, cook my sons a good meal, every now and then. I was once a person with much faith, but after years of praying and working and trying so hard with no results, I have begun to wonder. All of my hardships have damaged my relationship with my only sister. I reached out to her for moral support over the years and she blamed my situation on me being mentally ill, or making the wrong decisions. Perhaps, I did make the wrong decisions, maybe I am completely insane, all I know is, I have prayed and tried every avenue I could think of to better my life and years later, I’m broke, with an old car in need of repair and bills I can’t pay. If there is a god out there, why has he allowed me to struggle so much to the point of losing my faith?
Julie – I’m so very sorry life has been and still is so difficult for you. May I tell the part of your heart that has never given up and kept trying – well done! That is a big job and huge burden you have been carrying. May I also suggest to that part of your heart that perhaps the enemy has lied to and manipulated both your strength and passion to protect your sons? My prayer is our Heavenly Father will both reveal Himself to you in ways you have not yet known and that He would also reveal you to you. Things you have never known about yourself, but He has known since before time began. If you will take the time to go back and read my posts under the tab “My journey”, it will help to explain to you what I mean by this prayer. Our belief systems about ourselves and about God are very powerful and impact our lives in ways we don’t even imagine. They get put in place at a very young age. Remember what I said about we have an enemy seeking to destroy us? (1 Peter 5:8, John 10:10). Even when we are very young he does his best to insert faulty beliefs to separate us from the very One, Jesus, who can heal our hearts and exchange our ashes for His beauty and set us free from being prisoners to present pain and captives to pain handed down from generations past; and rebuild from “the ruins” of our lives something beautiful that both you and those who see you will know it is a work of the Lord (Isaiah 61:1-4). There is no “one-size fits all, quick answer” to your question. But there is an answer if you will be completely authentic and real with God crying out from the deepest places of your heart (like the Psalmist David) and then positioning yourself to listen to His response. I hope the posts I’ve referenced on “My Journey” help you on your journey.