God’s Healing for Life’s Losses: How to Find Hope When You’re Hurting
Clinging to God’s Rope of Hope
Countdown to God’s Healing: I’m excited to announce that BMH Books will release my fifth book in May. To read a sample section of God’s Healing for Life’s Losses: How to Find Hope When You’re Hurting click here. To pre-order your autographed copy at 30% off, visit here. As we countdown to the release, I’ll be sharing periodic excerpts, such as today’s post: Clinging to God’s Rope of Hope.
A Better Day Is Coming
Waiting is rooted in the Old Testament. The Prophets promised Israel that a better day was coming, later. The New 
Testament writers develop the waiting theme when they urge us toward patience, perseverance, longsuffering, and remaining under (Romans 5; James 1; 1 Peter 1-2; and Hebrews 11).
In waiting, we cling to God’s rope of hope, even when we can’t see it. In biblical waiting, we neither numb our longings nor illegitimately fulfill them.
Waiting’s Evil Twin: Immediate Gratification
The opposite of waiting is meeting my “needs” now, taking matters into my own hands now, and acting as if I’m my only hope. Esau embodies regrouping through immediate gratification (Hebrews 12:16). For a single meal, a bowl of soup, he sold his birthright. He refused to look ahead, to wait, to delay gratification.
What is your bowl of soup? Mine? What am I convinced that I must have now that I believe is more pleasing to my deepest appetite than God and what He chooses to provide and promises?
In the context of grief, regrouping through self-gratification says, “I have to feel better now! Things must be the same as they once were!” We want to be our own Genie in a bottle—granting ourselves two wishes: changed feelings and changed circumstances.
Remembering the Future: No Turkish Delight
Moses exemplifies delayed gratification and waiting.
“By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward” (Hebrews 11:24-26).
No quick fix for Moses. No “Turkish Delight” from the White Witch of Narnia. No pleasures of sin for a season. Why? How could he wait? He chose eternal pleasure over temporal happiness. He remembered the future.
Faith looks back to the past recalling God’s mighty works saying, “He did it that time; He can do it now.” Hope looks ahead remembering God’s coming reward saying, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed” (Romans 8:18-19, emphasis added).
In the context of grief, waiting through delayed gratification says, “I want to feel better. I wish things were the way they once were. But I trust God’s good heart. I know one day He will wipe away all tears. I know today He has good plans for my life ahead.” Instead of viewing God as our Genie in a bottle or as our Butler at our beck and call, we yield to, trust in, and wait upon God as our Father of holy love.
On the Road to Hope
On the road to hope we encounter many choice points, many forks in the road. Your current choice is life altering: will you trust God or trust yourself? Will you demand heaven now or wait for heavenly hope?
Everything within us feels as if taking matters into our own hands, meeting our own needs, quenching our own thirsts, and numbing our own pain is the answer. The world, the flesh, and the devil happily cheer us on.
But it’s all a mirage. Regrouping is nothing more than retreating. It’s backtracking. It’s a sophisticated, self-sufficient form of denial. And who wants to head back to the beginning of the journey!
Instead of turning back, look back with eyes of faith to recall how God has rescued you in the past. Instead of trusting in yourself, trust in God and look ahead with eyes of hope to remember the future God beckons you toward.
Join the Conversation
Hope waits. What are you waiting on God for? How are you trusting God’s future provision without taking matters into your own hands?
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