Part Six
This is not going to be a fantastic ending, because I still don’t have any answers. But I’m going to end with some verses and quotes that will I think will give you hope. First, one of my favorite passages.
>>>Psalm 62:5-8
“5 My soul, wait silently for God alone,
For my expectation is from Him.
6 He only is my rock and my salvation;
He is my defense;
I shall not be moved.
7 In God is my salvation and my glory;
The rock of my strength,
And my refuge, is in God.
8 Trust in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for us. Selah”
I love this passage because it reminds me to talk to God, and to not be afraid to tell Him the little things that are bothering me that no one else cares about. Next are a few passages about hope.
>>>Romans 8:24-25
“24 For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance.”
>>>Romans 5:1-5
“1 Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; 4 and perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
>>>Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
>>>Psalm 33:11
“The counsel of the LORD stands forever,
The plans of His heart to all generations.”
>>>Psalm 33:17-18
17 “A horse is a vain hope for safety;
Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.
18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,”
>>>Romans 12:12
“…rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;”
>>>Psalm 119:50
“This is my comfort in my affliction,
For Your word has given me life.”
>>>Psalm 42:5
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance.”
>>>Psalm 71:14
“But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.”
>>>Job 11:18
“And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.”
>>>Hebrews 6:19
“Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;”
>>>Ecclesiastes 9:4a
“For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope…”
>>>Hebrews 10:23
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”
>>>Psalm 71:5
“For You are my hope, O Lord GOD;
You are my trust from my youth.”
Reading the above verses, the first thing I think I need to realize is that true hope is from God. God gives me hope. I am void of true hope-hopeless-without Him. I also think I need to realize that true hope is in God. You know something cool? When you place your hope in God, you’ll never be disappointed. I’m not saying that if you ask God for something you want, that He’s going to necessarily give it to you (You’d better re-read this whole story if you think that). But we have a “hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast,” (Hebrews 6:19). This hope that is spoken of is the hope of our Salvation. We are secure in God’s Salvation. We’ll never lose it.
Here are a couple of passages that I would like to share about comfort.
>>>Isaiah 51:3
“For the LORD will comfort Zion,
He will comfort all her waste places;
He will make her wilderness like Eden,
And her desert like the garden of the LORD;
Joy and gladness will be found in it,
Thanksgiving and the voice of melody.”
>>>2 Corinthians 1:3-10
“3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. 8For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. 9Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. 10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On Him we have set our hope that He will deliver us again.”
>>>2 Kings 20:5
“Thus saith the LORD, the God of David thy father, I have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD.”
>>>Psalm 119:71
“It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.”
>>>Isaiah 40:11
“He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.”
>>>Isaiah 46:4
“And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.”
Matthew 11:28-29
“ 28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”
Maybe this story isn’t meant to be about understanding. Maybe it’s not about knowing why. Maybe I really will never know why God brought this into my life. Maybe this is something that God can use in someone else’ s life. This is what I’d like to be able to say-
“It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes.” (Psalm 119:71)
