Hope

Our world is broken. I don’t know a soul who hasn’t felt the weight of this last year, two years, five years. But I’ll be honest, the depth and darkness of the brokenness have had my mouth drop open in stunned silence on a near-weekly basis. As a mom of teens that shock is not slowing down, rather it seems to be picking up. And for once I don’t say that in a joking “raising teens is hard” manner. The world our kids live in is brutal. It is dark, it is ugly, it is ruthless, it is in their faces, it is constant. 

I have two very close friends who have teens the same age as mine. Week after week one of us is sharing a story that brings tears to our eyes and a pit in our stomachs. Our teenagers are in pain. They are facing eating disorders, anxiety, depression, suicide, fear, anger, and that’s not a full list. As adults, we all remember being teens, and it wasn’t like this. It simply wasn’t. Last week my friend and I both held one another up, locked in shock at what each of our kids was facing, struggling on what to do. Knowing we cannot protect our kids from what they’re going through. We cannot stop it from happening. Trying desperately, frantically, to figure out how to help our kids, shoving down our own fear and pain and guilt over what they’re going through, fighting the denial and truth that it’s out of our hands.

I don’t say that lightly, that it’s “out of our hands”. But the reality is, I cannot keep my children from the darkness of this world. It is around them. It’s around all of us. It’s a terrifying reality. Last week, as the darkness of the world entered our home and children’s lives, at a loss for what to do, I went to God. Tears falling, hands shaking, seeking His wisdom, “God, what do I do? How do you see this? What do you want me to do?” I felt him speak to my heart. “There is always hope. There is always help. You can’t be with them at all times, but I AM with them. Your job is to lift your eyes, surrender, and trust.” 

Friends, the peace that overcame me as I felt God guide and comfort, is a peace only he could give. The circumstance we’re in does not warrant any peace. Without God, there would be fear, worry, panic. Those emotions still show up, but in seeking God, in going to Him in prayer, seeking His wisdom in His Word and His voice, he brings light, hope, His power, and peace into the situation. I cannot keep my children from the darkness and brokenness of this world, but I can point them to the one who brings hope when all feels hopeless. A practical way I’m doing that is looking at hope in the Bible. There’s an incredible resource called BibleProject, that has studies and videos on topics from the Bible. My kids like it (as do I) because they break it down in a way that’s easy to understand and gives context and meaning. Plus, there are videos. So at night, we take twenty minutes as a family and go through part of the study. The hope study can be found here.

I want my children to know they are loved. I want them to know God has a plan and purpose for their lives. I want them to know God is a God of miracles, of making a way when a way doesn’t exist. That no matter how dark, broken, hopeless things may seem, God is not done. There is light, there is hope, there is a new day ahead, every day. I want the same for you. If you find yourself struggling, if you want to learn more about this hope, I encourage you to take a step towards Jesus today. You can click here to learn more about Jesus, check out the study on hope above, or if you’d like to join us for prayer and even be prayed over, join us Friday mornings at 8:30. 

Blessing you with hope and peace in Jesus.