Thursday, June 22, 2006

Hope

It’s time once again to slay the irritation of frustration. Brewing dark juices in tight veins.
I reckon if the inner thoughts could be penned down in detail, it could be the sooth cure for the torture of the inner soul.


I gain encouragement and have my pain eased through reading. That is why I believe in writing - words can serve as an encouragement to the weary and despondent. We are not unique proprietors to emotions, i.e. we are never alone in how we feel, and experiences shared through writing can be powerful cures to many.

I found my soul food today, an article by Stuart McAllister from Ravi Zacharias International Ministry:

Israel neglected their heritage and the people walked away. They pursued other loves and became enamored with the nations around them. Israel forgot their high calling, and the consequences were tragic. The prophet Habakkuk was understandably grieved. Unable to understand what was happening to his community, the prophet walked through stages of depression, anger, acceptance, and faith. His chapters move from asking "why?" to expressing hopelessness or exclaiming anger, and finally, to singing.

I believe there are times in life when we are on a similar journey. Though at times we may find ourselves stuck in one stage or another, we are called to follow a similar sense of story and to remember God's involvement in our past, present, and future. Between the pages where Habakkuk cries out for God's answer and where he ends in a mixture of fear and faith, we learn something of the ambiguity, tension, and struggle that is ours until the journey ends.

Through trial and uncertainty, the apostle Paul encourages us likewise. We are to cling to what we know along the way: "For in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. And I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:37-39).

Despite seeming triumphs of evil, the people of God continue to discover anew that the promises of God are sure. In the words of the prophet Habakkuk, "The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea" (2:14). It is not easy. There are real dangers, costs to bear, and always a demand for perseverance. But ultimately and exclusively, our hope is in God alone.

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