Sweetness of Hope

SWEETNESS OF HOPE

I think it's nice to ask myself "Why not give up?", with regards to pursuing God in my life.

What's funny is that as soon as the question arises, I know immediately that I give it no consideration at all. Of course I won't give up on the most important thing in my life.

And yet, in my life, I do things that are contradictory to my faith. And here, the question serves as a visible divider between my sinful pursuits and my pursuit of God, by indicating explicitly that I could not live with both, that I must choose one or the other.

So, I go on to consider why I find forsaking God an impossibility.

And the thing is, He caught me. He saved me. I was nothing, and did nothing that was not vain. I was lost and headed for doom. I was so dead I couldn't even consider truly seeking God.

And then He came. And it was the most powerful thing I knew, and I learned why I was alive and breathing, what to give my life to. And it's as if I've never breathed before. It's as if I've never walked before.

He exposed my sins to my face, and for long days and months I struggled. Then, I thought that it was my struggle that was moving me forward, but in hindsight I see merely the hand of God carrying me through. He showed me my sin, and helped me overcome it. He showed me deeper sins, and helped me overcome them. Day by day and with each passing moment, strength I find to meet my trials here.

And so the reality is actually this; it's not that I wouldn't forsake God, because of some noble quality that I have within me, but simply that He wouldn't let go. I kept failing, but He kept coming back. Hosea redeemed his adulterous wife.

What empowers me to find hope in what lies ahead?

Well, that He had always carried me and shown me kindness. He is a Rock, and my hope is secure.

He's sure to get me going. There's absolutely no reason to stop striving.

Keep going.