Holding onto Hope in the Midst of Broken Reality

Life is tough; we face problems in relationships, careers, families, finances, and every other situation involved in living on this broken planet. God calls us to have hope and joy despite such challenges, even while we grieve and suffer and hurt. I am particularly challenged in the practicalities of having hope and believing that God can make the broken whole while at the same time not let it cut me right now. 

Maybe you relate. Perhaps your marriage is broken and your spouse has filed for divorce. Do you fight it or do you protect your future and what is rightfully yours? When do you simply accept a new reality and move forward? It could be that you have a life-threatening illness. Do you continue praying for healing when the treatment is failing or prepare your family for your death? How does hope work with the reality of life’s brokenness? How do we continue to trust God and show deep faith when reality suggests otherwise?

Strength for the Storm

Last night we experienced storms in our area—much needed storms! I am not sure how much rain we had, but our crepe myrtles were victims of the downpour. After my husband’s extensive trimming last winter, they developed a large number of new limbs that grew long rather than thick. Two dozen or more of these weak branches broke off last night from the weight of the rain.

Some time ago I encountered a storm in my personal life that would have broken me if I had not been strong enough to weather it. Without knowing what was coming, I had the support needed to persevere through the difficulties. How did that happen?