of hope and praise...

"But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more..." Psalm 71:14

I recently viewed a movie called "Wide Awake." In it, a ten year old boy named Joshua is trying to figure out the meaning of life after his beloved grandpa passes away due to cancer. All throughout his fifth grade school year, he is seen asking questions, praying to God and doing his best to understand why someone who has meant so much to him suddenly leaves. In one part, he asks God for a "sign." He begs, he pleads and finally, when he receives no answer, buries the last remaining memory that belonged to his grandfather, a flannel shirt that Joshua would wear to feel closer to him.

I won't tell you how the movie ends, you'll need to find out. But I will say that through a series of events, Joshua's faith is restored and he realizes that he is now "wide awake."

We all go through life in this regard. Something happens that we cannot control or explain. We beg God, we storm heaven for answers. We cry out in anger or frustration,"why me, Lord?" and when we think He isn't listening, we tune Him out and go about our lives.

I am here to tell you, please do not tune Him out. When you don't receive an immediate answer, what does that tell you? That He doesn't care? No. That He isn't listening? No. It may very well be that yes, you have been heard. Perhaps now is just not the right time. That job you'd hoped to land was not the right job for you. That house, maybe not the best time to relocate. That special "someone? Not the best person for you. At all. God sees what we cannot. Your wistful "yes, please!" may very well be God's refusal. It does not mean that He has forgotten you, that he hates you or that He is out to get you. It may mean that He knows what is best and when the best time to grant you your request.

I had those moments. Many times I have had those moments. When I was young, I felt so all alone dealing with the dysfunction in my family. I begged God as only a young girl can to remove me from the pain. As I explained in my previous post, sometimes we need those struggles to appreciate what we have when the good things finally happen. When my husband lost his job almost two years ago, oh how I stormed heaven! A new job did not happen. What did happen was that I found ways to become creative, to make money to support us...and in the end through a small series of miracles...of people and things and places all being in the right spot, we are in a much better place than I could have ever dreamed of!

You see, when you pray, you need to release that prayer to heaven. You need to let go, to give up all control to God. You need to step back and let Him take over. Too often, we stick around and dictate exactly how we want that prayer answered. and that is why we feel helpless and out of control. Trust. It's all about trust, hope and faith. Trust in God...have faith that He hears you and have hope that the outcome will be so much better for you and for all who need you at that time. Victor Hugo wrote, "the word which God has written on the brow of every man is Hope."

 Never lose that Hope. Look to your struggles, don't fear them. Grow in them...branch out from them. God is on your side. It is not for us to question why bad things happen...and they surely will. Rather, go to God...give up your cares to Him...for He cares for you.