Finding Hope in the Darkness

Photo Credit: Hope by Martin Grommel

 

We’re officially three weeks into the school year, and things have become more hectic than ever.  After losing two school directors in four months, having the school vandalized, and having a water line burst and flood one of our buildings in six inches of water, it’s been a crazy ride already!  The situation seems bleak at times, but I’ve been absolutely inspired by my fellow faculty members as we’ve pulled together time and time again to keep things running smoothly.

Meanwhile, countless neighbors and friends are lamenting the state of affairs here in America, flabbergasted that our great American future could look this dim… but I’m not giving up hope yet.  Because that’s just the thing…

When life is at its darkest, our hope in God shines with unthinkable brilliance.

Take the Book of Lamentations, for example.  At first glance, this is nothing more than five straight chapters of hardcore grief and mourning over the devastation the Israelites suffered as a punishment for their idolatrous ways.  But if you dig a little deeper, you’ll discover that the book offers us much more than that.  Beneath the myriad of verses lamenting Israel’s humility and suffering, the prophet Jeremiah weaves a golden thread of hope throughout the book.

Notice the following verses, and the stunning promise that they offer to God’s people…

“This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.  The LORD’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail…’The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I have hope in Him.’  The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him.” – Lamentations 3:21-22, 24-25

Each chapter of the Book of Lamentations is a poetic masterpiece, arranged as an acrostic.  Every line begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet.  Was Jeremiah simply trying to be artistic?  Not a chance.  This was a memory tool for ancient readers… he wanted his readership to memorize the five chapters of this book.  Why?  To remind them of what their mistakes had cost them?  Sure.  But also to remind them of where their hope came from, even in the midst of dark moments.

Are you having one of those years?  Does it feel like everything in your life is crumbling to pieces, no matter how hard you work at gluing them back together?  Are you facing situations that are beginning to feel hopeless?

Don’t lose heart.  Just remember that true hope comes from only one source – The Source – and wait patiently.  Once your eyes adjust to the dim lighting, you’ll see hope filtering into your life with a subtle, yet radiant, brilliance.