Category: Faith

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Wishful Nonsense, or Proof of the Resurrection? Hope Series #27

I waited on purpose to post an Easter blog until after the Day. It’s such a busy time of church programs and family gatherings, and good messages coming from everywhere. But if you’re like me, you might need a little something after the celebration dies down and you’re coming off the high. When we’re exhausted from all the busyness, that’s when we need to be reminded it’s not just a feel-good story, but a miraculous, impossibly true event, worth staking our lives on.

On Easter our pastor was talking about what we need to do to keep on walking in our Christian faith, even after the first glow is over. We read from Luke 24: the women went with more spices for Jesus’ body and discovered He wasn’t there! Angels told them Jesus had risen from the dead, just as He had predicted. So they ran to tell the disciples:

“When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others…But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense” (Luke 24:9, 11).

There were two who decided to go and see. “Peter…got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened” (Luke 24:1-11). John, however, “who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed” (John 20:8).

To imagine that anyone could live again—after such brutal torture, suffering death on a cross, wrapped in 75-100 pounds of spices, locked in a tomb sealed by a heavy stone, with guards posted outside for three days—takes a lot of faith. It seems like nonsense—too good to be true.

That’s what the writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 11:1-2: “Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.” The “ancients” he refers to are the prophets, who never got to see the fulfillment of everything they preached. Yet they held firm that what God said was true. So much so, that they were willing to die for those beliefs.

That’s exactly what the disciples ended up doing, because they saw Jesus in person. Not just once or twice, but numerous times over a period of 40 days of fellowship and instruction, before He returned to heaven. However, since Jesus knew only first century Christians would have the luxury of seeing Him in person, He prayed for us ahead of time:

“My prayer is not for [the disciples] alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message” (John 17:20, emphasis added). “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29).

What about you? Do you struggle to accept what you’ve heard from others who’ve experienced the love and power of the risen Christ personally? Does the resurrection sound like nonsense, like wishful thinking and fairytales? Even Jesus’ disciples thought so at first, until they saw the evidence. Their Friday turned to Sunday and they spent the rest of their lives declaring this truth to everyone they met. They turned the world upside down with the miraculous news that Jesus is God. He died for our sins; He rose again; and He is reigning at the right hand of the Father until the time is right for Him to take His people home.

I think my favorite Easter song this year has been “Sunday is Coming” by Phil Wickham. For every one of our “Black Fridays” of life, we have hope, because Jesus rose from the dead on Easter morning!

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God is THE Promise Keeper: Hope Series #26

My dad died unexpectedly on January 26. I’m missing him. He was 90 and could no longer read, or drive, or teach Sunday school, since his stroke last Christmas Eve. But Dad was back to playing pickle ball three times a week, and lifting weights for two. His sense of humor was quick and sharp, and our times together were sweet. But it ended rather quickly.

My husband was just recovering from a double hernia surgery. A week into his healing my mom was rushed to the hospital and had her own emergency surgery. So, my sisters and I were taking turns staying with Dad. I brought Mom home from the hospital on Tuesday. On Thursday Dad and I had just walked over to play pickle ball when he sat on the stairs in terrible pain. I didn’t know what to do! We called an ambulance which came and took him to the ER. There they discovered he had an inoperable tear in his aorta, originating at his heart.

God gave us time to gather and say goodbye as Dad slowly slipped away. It was heart wrenching, but glorious too. Pain, of course, is awful, and it’s agonizing to watch the transition from life to death. But with the assurance he could still hear us, we talked to Dad and each other, prayed, and sang about our life in Jesus, until God took him home.

What does this have to do with God’s promises? A LOT. One definition of hope is “the absolute expectation of coming good.” And I am absolutely positive there is a lot of good coming in heaven! I’m looking forward to seeing my dad again , as well as other loved ones who have already died. And I have hope for good in this life too, as God works out all the details of every challenge I face here and now.

There is only One whose promises are completely trustworthy—the Lord God Almighty. No one can hinder Him, nor can circumstances thwart His plans. God is faithful; we can trust Him. The past gives proof for our coming hope.

God watches over the death of the saints (His followers) with tender compassion. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants” (Psa. 116:15).

He promises an inheritance of good for generation after generation of those who choose to follow Him. “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments” (Deut. 7:9).

He will protect us from Satan’s attempts to tempt and discourage us. “But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one” (2 Thess. 3:3).

He promises to be our strength when we are weak (which is every day!) and be with us on the journey. “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it” (1 Thess. 5:24).

Best of all, Jesus promised that death is not the end. When a believer dies, they simply moves to their forever home with Jesus, who said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11:25-26).

Have people broken their promises to you? Even those you thought were Christians? People will let us down—they get sick, change their minds, or things happen beyond their control. But look what Jesus said about life and death and eternity in the Bible. Read Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John and see how Jesus kept His word to His followers, and what He predicted about the life to come. You can be sure that Jesus will never break His promises.

He is our faithful God. I hope you enjoy this song by the same title.

“Faithful God’, We Are They

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Hope in the Dark: Hope Series #25

These are the darkest months of the year and many are floundering emotionally. Including me. I already struggle with seasonal darkness and occasional depression, but right now I’m going through what many believers call a dark night of the soul. We’ve been praying more than two years for my daughter’s healing and it feels like God’s not there.

In December 2021, she contracted covid, which developed into pneumonia. And she’s never been the same.

My daughter has gone from being a physically fit mother of three in her 30’s, to a person who spends most of her time in bed, in constant pain. And no one can find a solution. She’s been to every kind of doctor and tried treatments and supplements. There have been a few tentative diagnoses, like long covid, toxic mold, and POTS, but no relief from the symptoms. In the meantime, she’s in constant pain, exhausted by the least exertion, her heart beats too fast (even when laying down), she struggles for breath, and cognitive issues make it difficult for her to form and express thoughts.

My baby is in pain and I can’t fix it. I have to trust her to God—praying that she and her husband’s hope will not die. That their faith will remain strong, even in the dark. And that their children will see and learn a deep trust in God, even when, as yet, there is no relief from the pain and mounting medical bills.

Maybe you’re there too. You or your loved one are in a dark night and wonder how much longer you, or they, can hold on.

It’s helped me to read biographies of Christians who’ve either been healed, or received a more perfect answer from God. I’ve read about Catherine Marshall, Amy Carmichael, C.S. Lewis, and Joni Eareckson Tada, and I am humbled by their stories. They’re honest about how they ricocheted back and forth between quiet faith and railing at God in despair. Some great movies based on people’s lives also encourage me—“Miracles of God,” “Heaven is for Real,” “I Can Only Imagine,” “I Still Believe.” Especially when not every ending is tied up in a pink bow, and yet are full of hope.

So why does God allow good people to suffer? Why is my daughter, who was steeped in ministry, now confined to bed in excruciating pain? Why are you, or the one you love suffering without relief? The book of Job from the Bible helps a lot. Job was given insight into a world beyond ours—the spiritual realm—where there is a constant battle going on for the souls of men. There we learn that God allows Satan to cause us pain and suffering sometimes, in order to prove and strengthen our faith. But God will never let Satan go too far. It’s up to us to trust God knows what He’s doing, even when we cannot see behind the curtain.

God’s Word gives me hope to keep believing, because I know He’s the only One who can make things better.

The prospect of the righteous is joy,
    but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.

Prov. 10:28

In this world, both believers and unbelievers suffer, but only those who trust in Jesus have the promise of heaven, where there will be no more tears or pain, or separation from God.

Hope deferred [delayed, overdue] makes the heart sick,
    but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Prov. 13:12, brackets mine

Maybe you feel like it’s long past time for God to answer your prayers. His lack of response makes you wonder whether He really is a loving God.

You’re not alone. For centuries other Christians have wondered this too. But have realized that even when the pain seemed unbearable, God was in the dark with them. There is no hope anywhere else but in Him. Jeremy Camp has learned this in his own experiences and expresses it well in his song “Out of My Hands.”

Please contact me if you would like me to pray for you. And leave a comment if you have a praise story that would encourage others.

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It’s Not Enough to Just Believe

Tis the season for Hallmark, plus a wide range of other Christmas movies old and new. Some are based on the actual reason we celebrate Christmas, but most are either crazy humor or fluffy sentiment. I like a mix of all. But I’m disturbed by the sweet-sounding advice we get from more and more movies and songs, especially at Christmas, that everything will work out if we “just believe.” “Have faith,” they say, and the “magic” will happen.

I can “just believe” I’m a giraffe, but that’s doesn’t make me one. I can “just believe” I will win the lottery, but that doesn’t mean I will (especially since I’ve never bought a ticket). I can have faith in Christmas “magic,” but that is not based in reality.

What we must know about believing, faith, hope, and trust, is that there must be an object worthy to put our faith in. There must be evidence to convince us someone or something is trustworthy and dependable, and won’t let us down. Hanging our hopes on thin air is not enough.

I believe in my husband because he proves himself every day—evidenced by his affection, commitment, faithfulness to me, and investment in our relationship. I can lean into that.

I believe in God even more, because He has proven faithful not just to me, but to millions of others throughout history. Even if my husband should fail me and break my trust, I can always hope in God, who never breaks His promises.

I once heard faith in God compared to the confidence we put in a chair when we sit down and lean back in it with our full weight. So often we approach God as if we’re unsure of His qualifications to hold us up. We tentatively perch on the edge of His lap, expecting He will get up and leave before we can settle in, or collapse on us at any moment. But that’s not what I see in scripture, in the world around me, or in my own life.

God loves it when we nestle into Him expecting Him to follow through:

The Lord delights in those who fear [respect, honor] him,
    who put their hope in his unfailing love.

Ps. 147:11, my note in brackets

Psalm 146 gives us twelve reasons why God is worthy of our hope and it just occurred to me that these reasons could be called The Twelve Hopes of Christmas:

[The generations] speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
    and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

They tell of the power of your awesome works—
    and I will proclaim your great deeds.
7 They celebrate your abundant goodness
    and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

8 The Lord is gracious and compassionate,
    slow to anger and rich in love.

9 The Lord is good to all;
    he has compassion on all he has made.

Ps. 146:5-9, emphasis mine

  1. Splendor—We see evidence of God’s majestic glory when the sky lights up with a sunrise or sunset, drive through snow covered mountains, or watch the powerful waves of the ocean.
  2. Wonderful Works—Hope rises when we ponder the changed lives around us, His miraculous rescues, and provision.
  3. Power—God not only cares, but has power to elicit change.
  4. Great Deeds—Like my husband, God’s actions confirm His commitment to us.
  5. Abundant Goodness—God is good; it is His character, baked into the heart of who He is.
  6. Righteousness—God always does the right thing, because He has the perspective of eternity, which we do not have.
  7. Gracious—His gracious kindness is not just a polite act God puts on for company; we can be assured He will always be the same.
  8. Compassionate—We may feel compassion when we witness suffering up close, but then quickly forget and go on our way. God’s compassion does not forget.
  9. Slow to Anger—How quickly we get angry at others in traffic, when they make cutting remarks about us, or fail to appreciate us. But God sees our motivations and our heart, and gives us chance after chance to come to Him.
  10. Rich in Love—Love is in the air at Christmas, but for the most part it’s emotional and short-lived. God’s love is unconditional—based not on our character, but on His.
  11. Good to All—Scripture reminds us that God sends rain on the just and the unjust. He provides food for all. His offer of salvation is open to everyone. He does not play favorites.
  12. Compassionate to All—Finally, God’s compassion is poured out to each of us. He cares for every person He has created, and wants to give each of us a hope and a future.

Hang your hopes on Jesus this Christmas, and all year round. Lean into Him and give Him your dreams. Let Him care for your needs. For Christmas this year, give Him your heart and believe He is not just a baby in the manger, but our Lord and King, our Savior, and Redeemer.

He came as Immanuel—”God is With Us” by King and Country.

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Companionship With God: Hope Series #23

As we look forward to Thanksgiving tomorrow, this piece in the series seems especially appropriate. Thanksgiving seems to me to be the purest of holidays. With no wish lists and huge decorating frenzies, we simply gather and thank God for all our blessings. What joyful simplicity!

The other day I got some unexpected time with one of my grandchildren. Ella was out of school for the day, so she came to hang out, while her mom did bookwork for our business. Ella snuggled up to me while I ate lunch on the couch, and we hunted for the Waldo-like character in our Bible Sleuth book. She didn’t need anything from me, wasn’t looking for answers—just wanted to be with me. It was sweet and companionable, and we both soaked it up.

I think that is what the psalmist was expressing in these verses:

1My heart is not proud, Lord,
    my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
    or things too wonderful for me.
2 But I have calmed and quieted myself,
    I am like a weaned child with its mother;
    like a weaned child I am content.

Ps. 131:1-3

I never understood this passage until I became a mom.

I loved nursing both my babies. Our times together were intimate and precious. No one else could understand the closeness of those moments. But there were times when I felt more like a milk bottle than a person they loved and longed to spend time with. Their cries in the middle of the night were jangling to my already sleep-deprived mind, and when they pulled and clawed at me in a feeding frenzy, it did not feel tender and loving.

After they began eating solid foods, though, they were somewhat calmer about waiting for meals or snack times. Often, my girls stood close enough to touch me or stroke my leg while I worked in the kitchen. At other times they would crawl in my lap or snuggle next to me to get closer. I finally understood what the psalmist was describing. My children were calm, quiet, content, just to be near me. They still needed me, but our relationship was different.

What a beautiful picture of a companionable reliance on God! We continue to hope in Him, waiting for something that hasn’t happened yet. But more than that, we just want to be near Him. Psalm 131 gives even more wisdom about waiting:

First, not to be proud. Like verse one says, we don’t need to act like a know it all, telling God (and others) what to do, how and when to do it, as if we know what’s best. We can come to God in childlike trust instead of with our to-do list.

Secondly, we don’t need to constantly question God, demanding answers to mysteries He has chosen to keep secret for now. If we trust Him, we won’t need to fret about the unknowns.

And third, we can learn to lean into Him during devotions and moments of praise throughout the day, without asking for a single thing. Instead of a nursing baby who wants to be fed at the first hunger pang, demanding and impatient, we can calm and quiet our souls.

How do we do that? By looking at how faithful He’s been to believers throughout the ages, and especially, to us. By being thankful!

God is our Hope. He is our place of peace. Our refuge. Our safe place when all around is confusion and uncertainty.

I pray you will take a few minutes to sit close to the Lord right now, and express your love for Him as you listen to Bridge Worship’s “Shalom.”

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Too Young to Die

I had planned to post a different article today for my Hope Series, but right now, I just need to talk.

This morning I learned that searchers found the body of our twenty-one-year-old friend, who’s been missing for three weeks, floating in the Bay. We’ve prayed diligently every day for his safe return, since he left home. I know his mom and brother have been going out of their minds with worry and fear.

This is exactly why I began the series in the first place. Hopelessness and despair has a grip on people young and old. We have lost our anchor.

Life is hard. We all have days when we wonder how we’ll ever recover from the blow that has taken us down. But when we turn to God, we recover. I don’t know how it’s possible sometimes, but we do. It doesn’t happen quickly, and it’s not always pretty along the way, but we do recover. We even smile and laugh and love again, when we thought we never would.

We rise from the ashes of war, abuse, divorce, addiction, bankruptcy, and incarceration. With Christ. He is the anchor that holds us steady through the storm and keeps us from drifting into despair. In this world of grief and suffering He is our only Hope.

I’m a bit of a mess myself today. I’m sad, and so very angry. He died too young! I keep picturing this young man as he was when I saw him last–vibrant, in love with Jesus, curious, and mischievous. I pray he reached for Jesus in his last moments, who I am confident was there, reaching out to him.

I want the anguish to stop! For people to turn to God, and let Him heal their wounds and guide them through the messes and heartaches of life like only He can.

My soul is in deep anguish.
    How long, Lord, how long?

Turn, Lord, and deliver me;
    save me because of your unfailing love.

 I am worn out from my groaning.

All night long I flood my bed with weeping
    and drench my couch with tears.

 The Lord has heard my cry for mercy;
    the Lord accepts my prayer.

Psalm 6:3-4, 6, 9

God hears our cries and He cares about our pain. If you have been thinking about ending your own life please, please understand that this is not the answer. And your death will leave so much heartache for those left without you. Reach out for Jesus instead. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know what to say. He knows your heart. I He will help you through.

Do not choose death. Choose life with Jesus. Let Him ease your suffering and bring you joy.

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He Will Always Care for Me: Hope Series #20

Years ago, my friends fostered two little girls, two and four. They lavished them with love, clothes, plenty of food, books and toys galore. The girls had everything they could possibly need or want. Yet, they continually stashed food in their pockets, backpacks, under their beds, and in their closets. Their mother had been a drug addict, the father absent. The four-year-old had been “taking care” of her sister by scavenging food from the dumpster outside their apartment.

My friends explained to the girls over and over, “You don’t have to do that anymore. You have a home now with a mommy and a daddy. We’ll take care of you and provide for all your needs.” The girls couldn’t bring themselves to trust. The hunger in them was not just physical; it had gone soul deep.

When those who should care for us don’t or can’t; when our emotional needs are not met; it’s hard to trust God can and will take care of us. We experience an ever-growing hunger for love that we try to fill with relationships, substances, work, food, or other things. But nothing and no one else will satisfy.

But instead of turning to God, we choose to go dumpster diving, hoarding scraps of rotting food, when a feast is available to us. It’s right in front of us. There is hope for a better life.

Are you afraid to let go of the habits you’ve developed, to protect and provide for yourself? The Father invites you to His bountiful table. If you do, you’ll discover you can let go of your secret stash, and breathe easier. Your Father longs to supply for all your needs.

“For you have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth. From birth I have relied on you; you brought me forth from my mother’s womb. I will ever praise you… As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more” (Ps. 71:5-6, 14).

We can rest in these reassuring words about God in Ryan Ellis’s song, “Gonna Be Alright.”

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One Hope for Everyone, Everywhere: Hope Series #19

When my big sister told me there was only one way to vacuum the living room, I balked. In fact, instead of following her systematic method, I instantly wanted to do it in the most random pattern possible. Isn’t that how we often react. When someone tells us there is only one way to do something, or a single correct answer to a problem, we immediately want to rebel.

We like to have choices. We like multiple food options—steak, sushi, seafood, ice cream, salad, vegan, fast food. We want to decide how we work best—in an office or outdoors, fast-paced or laid back, brain or brawn. And we like to wear comfortable clothes that express our personality—jeans and t’s, suit and tie, flowy bohemian or dressy casual. So, it’s understandable that we might not agree there is just ONE way to heaven—one God, one faith, one truth.

King David described God this way: “You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength, who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations. The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy” (Ps. 65:5-8, NIV, emphasis mine).  

David wrote this at a time when most Jews were not excited about sharing their God with the rest of the world. Yet, over and over in the Old Testament, God declares that He alone is the answer for everyone, everywhere.

God spoke to His people through the prophet Jeremiah, “This is what the LORD says: ‘stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it’” (Jer. 6:16). Many people still respond the same way.

Are you one of them?

We encounter crossroads, decision points, all the time. And we ask: Which way should I go? The ancient path—the one paved in Truth—never changes. It doesn’t need to be updated to be relevant. The tools we use to study the Bible may change, but not the Truth it contains. God promises if we will choose His way, and walk it out day by day, we will find rest for our souls.

Jesus said this about himself, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me” (John 14:6, NKJV, emphasis mine).

His bold declaration made a lot of people angry. It still does. Who was Jesus to claim He was the only way to God? The only pathway to heaven? Jesus also said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matt. 7:13-14).

After Jesus rose from the dead, His disciple, Peter, testified to a bunch of religious leaders. They had issues with Jesus’ claim as the only way to God. Peter said, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Not Buddha, not Allah, not Nature, or any other god.

I urge you to find out who Jesus is—the historical and biblical figure who spoke for God, as God, and proved Himself to be God, by rising from the dead. The question is, will you believe it? Will you receive Him? Or will you continue to try path after path that leaves you empty and confused? Depressed. And Hopeless.

The choice is yours.

Listen to the words of this song carefully, and if you are willing, let them become your prayer. “Magnify” by Messengers.

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When Hope Seems Far Away: Hope Series #15

My heart is aching today for those I love who are in deep distress. I feel helpless. I cannot heal their bodies, change their past, protect them against unfair accusations, or make others treasure them as they should. I can’t do these things for myself, much less for anyone else. These days my prayers feel like clouds around me, hanging, murky and thick.

So I’ve been turning more and more to scripture, to songs that give hope and declare truth. I turn to the One who CAN and does heal, change, protect, and treasure. Our good and loving God, sees what we cannot see. He lives in me, walks with me, and when I cannot form the words, His Spirit prays on my behalf with passionate groans I cannot begin to comprehend.

He understands our pain. He knows and He cares.

When David was in this place of desperate pain, he wrote out his prayers in the psalms. They have been such a comfort to me lately. Have you ever noticed this phrase repeats three times in Psalms 42 and 43? “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 42:5, 11; 43:5).

Songs or poems with repeating phrases have a way of getting our attention. And the message imbeds in our soul. This is powerful self-talk. What an example for us to follow!

“Why am I so upset? Have I lost all hope? Don’t I know God will get me through this?” I needed to hear and repeat David’s words to myself. It’s going to be ok, Beth. God’s in control.

The bad news is, our enemy, Satan, knows how to use repetition as well. You’ve probably noticed when you’re worried, you tend to repeat the same negative thoughts over and over, digging yourself deeper into a pit of anguish. In order to get out, we need to change our pattern of thinking. Instead of the automatic “Why me?” “Why now?” “Where are you, God?” questions, we can choose to quote scripture to the enemy.

In fact, Psalm 42 is so rich with treasures, I want to walk through it with you and weave in prayers of response. There IS hope for you, for me, and for all those we’re praying for.

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”

Lord, I’m desperate for You. I feel so alone. You’re the only One who can fill me up.


“My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’”

They may not have actually said this, but it feels like that’s what they’re thinking, God. I wonder if others are questioning my faith. If I’m such a true believer why are these things happening to me? Why am I so depressed? Why can’t I pull out of this? Are You really there?


“These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go to the house of God under the protection of the Mighty One with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.”

I used to love to go to church and celebrate with other believers. I loved the singing, the preaching, and the great discussions about Your Word. I felt protected and joyful. But to be honest, it hurts now. I feel alone in the crowd. Unnoticed. Separate.

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you from the land of the Jordan, the heights of Hermon—from Mount Mizar.”

Here is that first repeated phrase. I’ve highlighted two key words—yet and therefore.

Lord, the circumstances of life have cast me down and I can’t seem to get up again. But it occurs to me that I don’t have to give in to this despair; You are my hope. I will yet praise you—now, by a determination of my will, but also later, when this darkness lifts. Because I am confident in who You are, I will praise You from the mountaintops.


“Deep calls to deep in the roar of your waterfalls; all your waves and breakers have swept over me.”

Lord, some think this sounds like drowning, but I picture myself under the waterfall of Your outpouring love for me. The waters echo in the caverns behind the falls, magnifying the sound. It reverberates in my ears. I am surrounded. I can feel the booming thunder and hear the splash of water all around me. I choose to place myself in this fountain and be drenched by the flood of Your Spirit.

“By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life.”

O Lord, let me rest in the music of Your love. Wake me with melodies of hope and praise. I will make them my prayers.

“I say to God my Rock, ‘Why have you forgotten me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?’My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me, saying to me all day long, ‘Where is your God?’”

O Jesus, there it is again—the isolation, abandonment, mockery—creeping in. Why won’t these thoughts go away?

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.”

I turn away from those dark thoughts, Jesus. You’ve always taken care of me, and You won’t leave me now. I put my hope in You. I will YET praise You. You have saved me from the chains of sin and shame. You are the only One worthy of praise. I determine now to give these fears and misery, all of them, to You. As many times as it takes, I will come and give You my anxious heart. Thank You, Lord, for listening, and caring for me. In Jesus name, Amen.  

The following song by Brandon Lake is moving and personal. Set aside the next nine minutes to just worship God. Go for a walk, sit in your car, get on your face, dance, weep, clap. Focus on each word, each note. Lose yourself in “Gratitude” and praise the God who loves you beyond measure.