Hope For The Day

Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you in turmoil within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my salvation and my God.

—Psalm 42:11

Hope is a hard commodity to find in this world anymore.
The situations around the world, money crisis, war,
people not having enough funds to maintain their own life and
needs. Illness, loneliness, a sense of desperation about
their situations, or even depression rob us of the very
joy and hope we need each day.

I have found when I wake up each morning, that the first
things I think are going to set the tone for the day. I used
to suffer from severe depression, and it became a
pattern for me when I woke up to think about my problems,
about my hurts and those who I felt had let me down, or
my own sadness or recrimination for those I felt I had let down.
I seemed unable to forgive myself most of all. And therefore
I couldn't even love myself. Life just seemed full of despair.

Then.. over time.. I realized each day I was feeding these
thoughts, breakfast, lunch and dinner. I was entertaining
them, and they were controlling me.

I realized then it was absolutely a mental choice. I learned
I could change those thinking patterns, and seek a new
way to start the day. I found that starting the day with
praise music, with time in God's word was vital, and
made a huge difference in my strength level and my
perspective of facing the day.

Our focus is everything. What are you focusing on today?
How is that working for you? Are you feeling hope or despair?

My precious friends, there is a answer. We have a heavenly
Savior who is mindful of our needs. The word says
every hair of ours is numbered (Matthew 10:30).
The Bible says that God saw us even as we were being
knit in our mother's womb (Psalm 139:13). In Psalm 139 verse
2 it says: You know when I sit down or stand up. You know
my thoughts even when I am far away.

This means God knows about each of the details of our lives,
He was with us at birth and will be with us when we enter
eternity. He has plans for our lives . Jeremiah 29:11:
For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope".

Dear friends, you do not have to feel hopeless.. The God
of the universe has plans for you! Tap into those. Open
your Bible and spend time talking to God.. spend time
reading his word. Let him refresh your spirit and infuse hope
into you. Read all he has planned for you and his great love
for you. He is a personal God and is waiting to hear from
you right now.

Love
millie