Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God. (Psalm 42:11)

My Hope Is In God

Discouragement can come from many quarters of life and challenge the faith of the people of God. No one is immune to the struggles of life. The rain falls on the just and the unjust and the problems of life surround the righteous as easily as the unrighteous. What makes a difference in the life of the Christian is the knowledge that while the storms gather there is a God who is greater and more powerful. This comes from the knowledge the Creator of the world is the same protecting Father who will not allow His children to be carried further than they can withstand. Nothing that man faces can overcome him when he seeks the favor of the Almighty. God holds the universe (all of it) in the palm of His hand. What on earth can be greater than the expanse of the universe that the will of the Lord cannot answer? If God has a name for every star in the heavens, there is nothing He cannot accomplish in the life of His child. There is nothing to fear when God is at hand.

Life is filled with bright, sunny days of glorious splendor. Some days come that are filled with dark and brooding clouds of despair, uncertainty, doubt, and fear. It will discourage and dishearten the strongest of souls. Sadness can permeate the spirit of man with its tentacles of despair. Above the realm of man, the throne of God gleams with the brilliance of eternal hope for desperate souls seeking refuge. The rainbow surrounds the throne in appearance like an emerald showing the downtrodden that God rules and He reigns over the affairs of the earth. All the creatures surrounding the throne cry out, “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.” This is a declaration there is nothing to fear. Hope is found in the Lord God.

The sons of Korah wrote a psalm yearning for the presence of God in their anguish. They faced a time of despair and longed to know the glory of God’s throne. Like a deer longs for streams of water, they longed for the presence of God in a time of dark clouds that overshadowed them. Their thirst was for God to nourish their disquieted spirits from the parched desert of despair. There was no reason to be discouraged. They had no reason to be sad in their hearts. With divine clarity, they had put their hope in God. Praise came from their lips as they embraced the presence of God to lead them through the dark travails of life. God was their Savior. He was their God.

Uncertainty creates a greater pain in the heart when life is filled with so many certainties of joy and pleasure. There is fear with the COVID-19 virus that has unsettled the world. For many in the world, this has only changed their lives to the fear of the disease. In the prosperous communities of America, it has created havoc in the lives of those who trust in the uncertain riches of life, the pleasures of life and the enjoyment of prosperity. There is greater fear at the loss of what was considered unbreakable and normal in life. Because of this virus, the world of frivolity, recreation, popularity, and carnal pursuits have been turned upside down. Orders to stay at home, businesses closing, and industries crippled are common. The future looks uncertain for those who cannot see God in their yesterdays. Serving the Lord is not a prosthetic that is put on in case of an emergency today for fear of tomorrow. Trusting in God is the armor worn every day before the dark clouds come.

If God is not in the heart before the dark clouds, it will be difficult for a man to endure. Hope in God comes from thirsting after God and seeking His will today. The power of knowledge is what helps the soul endure the hard times and understand the joys of the good days. Hope in God. Praise God. Trust in His divine power to see His children through whatever life brings. There will be sadness, tragedy, and heartache but it will be measured by the loving arms of the Heavenly Father who knows, understands and cares for His children. Though the clouds of darkness spread across the sky my God still rules and He hears my cries. One day He will send His Son and wipe away all tears, remove all sorrow and take His children home. I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!