Do you struggle with having hope?

For your future? For your day-to-day life? For specific situations you or someone else is going through?

I have had moments of this all throughout my life. Life seems to be so unpredictable sometimes and you may not see an end to the suffering you are going through. I have a lot of things I am grateful for in my life and the ways God protected and cared for me and to some people my life might look easy, but everyone has their own kind of struggles. What are we supposed to do when we are feeling hopeless?

You can say the normal Christian answers: Read you Bible. Make time with Him more intentional. Pray. Tell Him how you are feeling. Yes, please do these things. They truly do help. But I have had moments when I just feel numb or am too distracted by how strong the feelings are and how loud the enemy’s lies are. I get tired of talking to Him and not hearing a response, or get tired of doing all the right things and coming away the same. Hopeless.

I had a time in my life when I walked through depression. I used to love singing and worship was my favorite part of church (and of course seeing my friends.) Then church became too hard and if I had a choice I might have decided to not go. I could not sing anymore because I no longer believed the words, or they were too real to where I was. I did not want to see my friends because I had nothing but complaints to update them.  No one knew how to help; they would ask the same questions I did not want to answer. The teachings were too on point or frustrating because I did not see God doing those things. I would sit through church either sobbing or numb, not hearing anything. I did pray, read my Bible, and tell Him how I was feeling, yet I felt so lost. I began to believe that He loved and heard others prayers but not mine.  I believed He was there, but did not want a relationship with me.

I wanted to worship Him. I wanted to love Him. I wanted a relationship with Him. The only way I felt I could do any of that, without bawling or yelling at Him, was to write. I had been writing for a few years and it was something I did with God. He would give me these grand ideas, and I would write them. Even though I did not feel He was giving me any more ideas, I decided that if I could not write with Him, I could still write for Him. It was really my last penny, my jar of alabaster, I could give Him. It was a gift He had given me to bring Him glory; it became a simple way I could worship Him.

I know what it is to go through something tough and find it hard to come to Him at all. It felt wrong to sit in the frustration I was feeling, but I could not focus on anything except my feelings. Not the Lord. Not the scriptures. Not worship. I knew God wanted me to come to Him and give Him what I was feeling. I realized all He wanted was for me to come the way I was and sit with Him. He knew I was not ok. Yes, He did want me to give it all to Him, but He also wanted me to come sit with Him until I could give it to Him. He did not what me to run from Him, but offer even the little I had.

What is one thing that you can do that worships the Lord? Maybe it is serving someone. Maybe it is a talent God gave you. Maybe it is sitting with Him in the midst of your feelings until you can give it to Him. Maybe it is just moving forward in obedience even if you don’t feel like it.

My challenge to you this week is to talk to the Lord and ask Him to show you what that one thing is that you can give to Him. Please still be intentional with reading His word and praying, but maybe there is something you can give Him that will bless Him even in the midst of all the feelings and hopelessness. Please share with us how the Lord helps you conquer these situations.