Isn’t this time of year beautiful? Particularly in east Texas, where we are famous for our beautiful Azaleas, this time of year is breathtaking. The sunsets are magnificent and the air is just a little crisp. All of the flowers are starting to bloom and you can feel life in the air again. It is such a beautiful thing! The transformation that the earth undergoes when it is changing from winter to spring is so inspiring. It reminds me of how quickly change can happen and how death can become life again. It is such a great reminder of the hope we carry inside of us. This powerful hope that can endure the most impossible situations is living inside of us, even though it can seem dormant, just like the flowers in winter when they are buried beneath the snow.
Hopeless situations plague us all. It’s a universal epidemic that doesn’t miss a single soul. I’ve been through several of these “dark nights of the soul” situations and the following are a few things I’ve learned. By no means is this an exhaustive list but it is definitely a great start.
- Accept where you are and fully surrender to God. This doesn’t mean you don’t ever hope for a change, but rather you have come to a place of surrender. You know that God wouldn’t allow something for your destruction, but only for your development. Instead of thinking of your circumstances as a prison, think of It as a growth opportunity that God has given you.
- Relinquish your right to try and fix it. JUST GIVE UP. Now that you have accepted the opportunity you can stop trying to change it yourself. Trying to change a situation that God is using to change you will only exhaust you physically and drain you emotionally. Instead of fighting for control & change, focus on the factors that are in your control, which include your fellowship with the Father and turning your thoughts toward Him.
- Retrain your brain by counting your blessings. Perspective can be the difference between a joyful, fruitful season or a miserable existence. You have to evaluate your perspective and see if it’s healthy. One way to aid in correcting an unhealthy perspective is to count your blessings. This helps to show you what is good about your life instead of what’s bad. It’s helps you to see the full picture and to not get focused in on one part.
- Activate your faith. Romans 5:3-4 says “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance character, and character, hope.” Interesting that hope is the result of struggle & the development of character and not the other way around. According to this scripture, hope is restored as we trudge through the murky waters of character development. Our faith needs to be activated by the hope that we have a reward. Yes, the presence of God in itself is the most fulfilling reward we will ever inherit but there are more promises to be obtained when we activate our faith and walk through precarious times in our life. We can do that because we know the character of God is infallible and perfect. He honors His word and those that surrender their lives to Him.
- Receive the grace you need. When your faith has been activated you only need to receive the grace that you need for the struggle you are in. God is more than able to provide you with His grace in situations that He is using to mold you into the person he has in mind. For years I limped through life thinking I was on my own. I didn’t realize the amazing grace that was available to me. I only needed to ask in faith and receive.
Something to remember as you trudge through hopeless seasons is that God is the God of all hope! Romans 15:13 says “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” If hope has been lost it can also be restored, that’s the power of our God. Just like flowers buried beneath the snow and ice of winter, you will be restored to life and vitality once again when the time is right. Winter will not be your permanent condition because spring is coming to revive you into full bloom again.
