The Road to Hope
Do you find yourself overwhelmed these days? I know I do! Our minds and hearts swim in negativism. This is NOT a NEW problem. In the Bible we see glimpses into the hearts and minds of people just like us. And if anybody in the Bible could have admitted defeat, and needed hope, it would have been David (adultery, lying, anger, family problems, anxiety, and the list goes on). Talk about a lack of hope and wanting to give up! One mess after another, David experienced an avalanche of failures. One thing David realized, though, is that with God there is always hope for forgiveness, renewal, and restoration.
A Mess
The New Testament character that also had a rough past (religious, competitive, putting people in jail, separating families, and much more) was the apostle, Paul. Then he met Jesus, and his life changed. Jesus won his heart with the fact that He died for Paul on the Cross, was raised from the dead, and offered Paul new life. Paul had spent his life striving to fix himself (self-improvement), which does not work for true heart change. Jesus showed that without His perfect sacrifice Paul could not be right with God. Paul turned from an angry hater to one who went to great lengths to love others and introduce them to Jesus. What a story of grace! Read about it in Acts 8–9.
With God there is always hope for forgiveness, renewal, and restoration
God is full of grace and wants your good. In Psalm 51:10–12 David says,
“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me away from Your presence and do not take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and sustain me with a willing spirit.”
NASB 1995
Moving Forward
David is being real and is owning up to his sin, his problem. He realizes his inner brokenness. We often try to avoid the inward side of ourselves. We bury ourselves in work, hobbies, or substances, or we just hide the fact that we are hurting. But resist doing that because what’s inside is the most important part of you. Notice, David did not say help me create a pure heart. Why? Because God does the work. So do not panic! Be honest. He is there to forgive and to restore you. Trust me, it is worth the pain.
Often, we go to the doctor when we are not feeling well, and the doctor writes a prescription for us. Why? Well, we need direction and a course of action!
So, here is a prescription for the next thirty days. You will need a pen or pencil, a journal or notebook and a Bible. Over the next thirty days take one Psalm a day and begin to journal your thoughts, feelings, and observations about the Psalm. Now you have a goal and a focus. I have been practicing going through the Psalms like this for quite a few years, and through this practice have gained hope, and the clarity to see beyond my circumstances, which helps me move towards what God has next. I trust this will bring more hope than when you started!