Hope in Christ

I was browsing through one of my journals not long ago and came upon this passage from January 2017; it spoke to me and I thought I’d share my thoughts that wintery day from my home in Montana.

I seem to live in a cocoon.  Today it is wind swept and white, the winter snow wrapping itself again around the house, “trapping” us inside, warm and safe, away from the world’s problems. But is that truly where God wants us? I’m told to dream big, reach forth, show my voice; yet I feel small and insignificant – and even though I’m in my 59th year of being, I am still so “young” and impressionable, like a child on that new learning curve?

How do I take 58 years of being and weave these years into something to be used of Jesus Christ and for His glory? How do I take all I’ve experienced in my life and cast this net to try to draw in those, like me, who are – who have been and will be, hurt?  Pain is part of our existence.  As Paul wrote in Romans, “And not only this, but we exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope, and hope does not disappoint , because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3-5 NASB.

We don’t praise God FOR our troubles – we praise Him IN our troubles – that He is forging in us – those who endure pain (the entire human race) – the strength to bear up under our burdens.  The Lord Jesus bore much that day on the cross, think of it, the sins of all past (Adam, Cain, Babel, Sodom, King Saul, King David, King Solomon, all Israel), all sin present during His day and all sin future. A great weight ONLY the Son of God could bear for us.

So, can we, His followers, do as He said we would when the Helper came? Can we trust that because of the Holy Spirit, we will do greater works? (John 14:12). Greater works cannot exceed what Jesus did on the Cross, yet because of the Cross, we can.  We can endure the pain, for it does not last forever.  There is always hope.  Hope for a warmer day for the cocoon to burst and allow the butterfly to fly forth, and on its wings, the message of hope.  Hope to endure the winter winds or perhaps the cold dark where one might find oneself.  Hope in Jesus Christ.