Hold Onto Hope

Lately, I feel like hope has been my theme. With our appointment tomorrow, I have a renewed sense of hope. Before this hit me, I felt like I was going through a period of "how did I get here?". 
I remember one rainy morning coming home from more bad news at the doctor's office with my husband. I looked at him and thought, "How did we get here? How did I go from chasing you on the playground to this? Playing "house" with you in my plastic kitchen to buying our house just for it to remain empty of children? How?" I believe our situation is not the only one that people come to that question. My friend, looking at her child, thinking, "I thought your daddy would love me forever. How did I get here?" Another thinking, "I was supposed to be married by now. How did I get here? " Yet another thinking, "This is not the life I planned. It wasn't supposed to turn out like this. How did I get here?" 
The common bond is this: We have all learned that our plan does not always equal God's plan. So, what must we do? Hold onto Hope.

There was an article by that name in the March/April 2010 Stepping Stones by Kat Smith. She said, "We don't have children yet, but I know God has not forgotten us. His plan is on time." How do we hold onto hope for that plan?

In my Sunday School class, we are currently covering the 5th chapter of Romans. As we took apart the 3rd through 5th verses (which I feel like I've read a thousand times), something clicked in me. 
"...We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us." 
The Greek word for perseverance there literally means "abide under the load". What kind of load are we abiding under? Mine takes many forms: emotional, financial, and spiritual...but it produces character. The character mentioned here is Christ-likeness. To love under the hardest circumstances, to pray, to seek our Father. And what does God promise from that? HOPE!
"Hope does not disappoint us." Why? Because our sovereign God has a plan. When our teacher moved onto God "pouring out His love into our hearts" he said two words that ring in my ears..."Trust Him"...."Trust Him"...."Trust Him"....

God, thank you for the encouragement in your Word. It says that we must be strong and take heart. Our hope is in your Name and your Name is good. Help me to seek you. You have taught us to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. I pray that I will find rest in you alone and in your unfailing love. You have promised to answer in awesome deeds of righteousness. Renew my strength today as I wait in hope in you.  

To all of you holding onto hope, I leave you with this: 
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Have a wonderful Tuesday and keep us in your prayers. Our appointment is 9:30 Wednesday morning! :)