How to Put Your Hope in Jesus When Life Is Hard
The wind that ripped and tore all day finally calms, and I slip into the valley to walk in the silence. I’m here because I need to remind myself to put my hope in Jesus instead of putting my hope in climbing out of the valley of discomfort.
Have you ever faced a valley so deep you wondered how you would possibly climb out of the darkness?
Maybe the death of a precious loved one left you reeling with pain. Perhaps your marriage fell apart, your dream died, or you faced a devastating diagnosis. If you’re anything like me, you wanted to put your hope in Jesus, but, mostly, you put your hope in climbing out of the grief.
There’s nothing wrong with hoping for our circumstances to improve, but God is inviting us to embrace his peace while we’re in the middle of our pain as well.
A few years ago, our family endured a heartbreaking loss. My knee-jerk reaction was to sprint through the valley of despair and emerge from our grief-stricken season as quickly as possible. I wanted to close the painful chapter and be done with the pain.
How to Put Your Hope in Jesus
As I hurriedly aimed to push myself through the pain, God offered me a different invitation.
I realized he was asking me to stop putting my hope in getting to the other side of the pain.
He invited me to claim his hope by resting in his arms, the arms of the Shepherd. He reminded me of his promise to walk with me through every valley. I didn’t have to wait to climb out of the valley to claim hope—Living Hope walked with me through the valley.
I remind myself of these lessons as I walk beneath the dusky sky.
My hope is not found in an improved situation. My hope is found in Jesus.
Your hope is not found in improved circumstances. Jesus is your hope. #HopeinJesus #Jesus #Hope Share on XThe Shepherd Has Not Left You
We live in a broken world, and we will all experience pain.
The next time your heart is broken, your soul is grieving, or your body is paralyzed with physical pain, remember this: The Shepherd has not left you to navigate this valley on your own.
He is beside you, and he will carry you when you are too weak to walk.
He is your Comforter, your Constant Companion, and your Living Hope.
Cling to this reminder from Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”
He has promised never to leave you, and he assures you that nothing can ever take his love away from you. Claim these promises as you let him fill you with his hope in the middle of your most painful valleys.
Your Invitation to Put Your Hope in Jesus
Jesus wants to be your Living Hope.
I encourage you to take a few minutes to read and meditate on Psalm 23 today.
As you read, ask the Lord to show you a specific word or phrase to meditate on.
Slowly read the Psalm, watching for a word or phrase to jump off the page. After reading, spend a moment reflecting on the words that caught your attention. Ask God to help you apply these words to your life, and journal about anything he reveals to you. Here is this powerful Psalm:
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever. (NIV)
Consider . . .
Where have you been placing your hope? Have you been tempted to find hope by imagining how life will improve when your pain finally subsides?
What does God want to show you about his sufficiency as you make him your source of hope in the middle of your pain?
A Free Devotional Book to Help You Find Hope in Jesus:
Lastly, I have a gift for you today. Glimpses of Hope for When Life Lets You Down is my free online devotional to help lift your head. You will find daily readings to help you heal in God’s presence. Click here and I’ll send it to your email inbox today!
Calling all moms and daughters—and parents of boys!
As the parent of two sons and a daughter, I have a heart for helping parents develop deeper relationships with their children and with God. Our kids, ages 6, 11, and 14, share this vision. They have helped me write three family devotionals for parents or grandparents to read with the children they care about.
God’s Warrior: Devotions for Boys Who Want to Grow in Courage and Strength is for boys ages 5-13. Now, more than ever, our world needs men who are willing to courageously carry God’s love into the world. Written with input from our two young sons, Aiden and Caleb, ages six and eleven, this book will help the boys you care about find courage and strength in God. Find this life-changing devotional book here.
Devotionals for Girls
Girl to Girl: 60 Mother-Daughter Devotions for a Closer Relationship and Deeper Faith is written for girls ages 7-12. It includes 60 devotions with Scripture, conversation starters, and a shared journaling section for moms and daughters after each devotion. I wrote this book with the help of our daughter, Bekah, when she was eleven. Find this one-of-a-kind shared devotional here.
Heart to Heart: A Mother-Daughter Devotional With 50 Devotions for Teen Girls is for teenage girls ages 13-20. It includes 50 devotions, each with a shared journaling section to help moms and daughters connect through writing. This is a great book for moms who want to communicate about awkward topics—like dating, sexuality, peer pressure, and more—but don’t know where to start. Bekah and I will help you right here.
All three books are available in print and eBook form here on Amazon. They are also free on the Kindle Unlimited plan, which you can enjoy with a free three-month trial! These books make great gifts, and you don’t need to be the parent of young children to read them. Share them with your grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or the young ones you love.
Learn Why Willpower Doesn’t Work and Experience God’s Deliverance and Healing
God wants to work in your life to accomplish what you’ve been unable to do through willpower alone. Lean Into Grace: Let God’s Grace Heal Your Heart, Refresh Your Soul, and Set You Free shares practical ways to experience God’s freedom, healing, power, and presence in your life. Find this life-changing book as a free eBook on Kindle Unlimited or for 12.99 in print right here. (If you do not have Kindle Unlimited, you can try it out with a free three-month trial!) This book will transform your life and revitalize your relationship with the Lord!
