Hope in Grief. Today's theme was determined months ago and these words were written weeks ago but God knew these words where meant for today.
I pray you would be met right where you are with God's abundant HOPE today.
Today’s theme can be one of the most accessible, in my opinion. When grief brings anger and disappointment, hope can be hard. When grief comes with deep sorrow and that “the world stopped turning” feeling, hope can be all we have to cling to.
Grief can also be in the form of things seemingly less significant. Grief can be a feeling we try to avoid because it’s “not that big of a deal,” but it’s something we wish looked different in our life.
No matter the grief we speak of here, God invites us to a life of hope that can be the only thing to keep our chin up, at least in a lasting way.
We’ve been in Exodus this month so it only feels appropriate to reflect on this greater theme today as we end the month and this series of “hope” together. The book of Exodus provides numerous instances where hope is explored, particularly through the Israelites, their deliverance from slavery in Egypt, and their journey to the Promised Land. Hope is a theme we see woven throughout this story as the Israelites face trials, rely on God’s promises, and in return get to witness the faithfulness of God.
This equation: facing trials, relying on God’s promises, and experiencing the faithfulness of God. No matter the nature of the grief we feel, we have promises from God to rely on and believe to be true and God will show His faithfulness to those who look to Him. He will.
Here are a few particular points in Scripture that I want to invite us to BELIEVE together today.
Exodus 3:14–15: God reveals His name to Moses as "I AM WHO I AM," emphasizing His self-existence and unwavering nature, which provides a foundation for hope in His promises.
Exodus 13:21–22: God leads the Israelites with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, demonstrating His guidance and presence, which offers hope and assurance during their wilderness journey.
Exodus 14:13–14: In a desperate situation, with the Red Sea in front and Pharaoh's army approaching behind, Moses tells the Israelites to "fear ye not... the Lord shall fight for you," offering a powerful message of hope in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Exodus 17:1–7: This passage details the Israelites' complaint about lack of water and their testing of God, but also highlights how God provides for them, demonstrating His faithfulness and ability to meet their needs, thus reinforcing hope.
Exodus 33:15: Moses pleads with God, saying, "If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here," emphasizing the importance of God's presence as the ultimate source of hope and blessing.
I intentionally did not type out the exact passages above because I’d like to encourage you to open your Bible, read these passages for yourself, and ask God to reveal the hope to your heart that He has for you today. I believe in the name of Jesus He will do it!
- Britt Goff #wheatfulwednesday