Could you use some hope in your struggles?

There is not a person on earth who would argue the fact that life is hard. When we face struggles that seemingly go on forever, we need not lose heart.

Because what we see as forever is only temporary.

While that truth may not make our pain any less painful or our trials any less trying, it reminds us that our hope isn’t any less constant…

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal glory that is far beyond comparison. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18

Even when we aren’t feeling particularly hopeful the truth is, we can’t lose hope. It’s impossible. Because losing hope would mean losing Jesus, and we are His and He is ours.

When my sister and I were on the worship team at my uncle’s church, I remember singing these words of truth, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace…”

Jesus told us we would have trouble in this world, but He also told us to take heart because He has overcome it all. No matter the struggle, everything on earth is temporary in the context of eternity.

Everything on earth is temporary in the context of eternity. Click To Tweet

Hope in the Absence of Our Normal

Our hope is present even in the absence of our normal. Like when sickness comes or we lose a loved one or we can’t pay the bills or we feel alone in a crowded room…

We say things like, “I can’t wait to get back to normal” or, “I need to get used to this new normal.”

Really though, what exactly is this normal? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines normal as conforming to a standard; usual, typical, expected.

Is normal what we are supposed to crave?

It seems to me we were never created for normal. And while we may not choose our not-so-normal struggles, they awaken something in our soul. They take us on roads that might have otherwise gone untraveled and places people on these roads, who might have otherwise gone unmet.

So no matter the struggle and no matter the pain, manna will come–even when we don’t know what it is.

And isn’t that what manna means? What is it?

God’s Enough is Always Enough

When we have a need we pray for answers. We ask God, “What is it? What is the answer?”

And even though He asks us to ask, God already knows what we need and He sends it to us in many different ways.

Like that manna for wilderness wanderers, He sends us exactly what we need, no more and no less. He provides enough in His perfect measure.

And at times, we may receive spilling-over blessings above what we need. That is our God who gives good gifts. But that doesn’t mean that when we receive just enough we are loved any less.

Because receiving just enough is really much more, because we learn to lean into who He is and not just what He gives.

The world has skewed the definition of what enough really means. When we go by the worldly standards of enough, it will always leave us wanting more. When we allow God to provide the measure, it will always satisfy our souls.

God’s enough is always enough.

A Timely Perspective

Let’s not miss the manna while looking for what we think we need. God is patient with us and provides answers in His time.

What does that mean?

It means waiting on the Lord’s timing instead of trying to make things happen according to our own timetables. When we are humbled by a pang of great hunger, Psalm 107:9 tells us He fills the hungry soul with what is good. Trust the future to the One who knows what our future holds.

And God’s timing is an interesting thing to ponder…

But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.
2 Peter 3:8 (NASB)

Don’t you love how that scripture begins?

This was an aha moment for me. If in God’s time a thousand years is one day and one day is a thousand years, think about it–that means, Jesus was here just a couple of days ago according to God’s time and He’ll be back in just a few days or so from now.

How is that for a timely perspective? I think we can hold on a little longer.

The scripture in 2 Peter continues on to say God is not slow as we understand slow–He is patient and wants everyone saved. This is the God who sends manna, the bread from heaven, and Jesus, the Bread of Life.

Trust God in and through the struggles because His ways are higher and His timing is anything but run-of-the-mill normal. His timing is perfect. In the scheme of things, earthly time loses its value in the big picture of God’s timing.

Earthly time loses its value in the big picture of God's timing. Click To Tweet

When You’re in the Thick of It

When you are going through the thick of it, whatever it is, know that it cannot last forever. God’s forever is eternity and there will come a day when all the pain and sorrow will be wiped away. That is a promise.

But eternity can sound overwhelming and who wants to wait an eternity for eternity, right?

Here’s the key, we can look forward to eternity but we are still called to live, love, and serve in the present time. This present time may be good or may be hard but it is where we are. And we are not alone and it is going to be okay.

Keep your eyes on Jesus and you will see how life turns a corner just when we thought going straight in the continuous struggle was our only option. We never know what God has waiting for us around that corner, and why would we want to miss it?

Yes, life is hard but our troubles are temporary. The hope you have is the gospel truth. And God will send you manna when you feel all has been stripped away because He will show us all we need is Him–and He will provide all we need.

God provides exactly enough at just the right time.

Though our struggles feel like they last an eternity, they don’t. It’s not possible. Gather your manna, hang onto hope, and lean not on your own understanding.

Gathering Manna Beside You,

Doris