Do you feel isolated? Talk to us.

“Long ago, even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. His unchanging plan has always been to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. And this gave him great pleasure” (Ephesians 1:4 & 5, Life Application Study Bible).

Why am I here? What is my purpose? Self-help books suggest that people should look at their own desires and dreams and there they will find their purpose.  But from experience I know this leads to hopelessness and despair. The starting place must be our Creator and His eternal purposes for each life.

I was born of German parents in Ukraine which was then part of Russia. During the second World War we fled from our country always just ahead of the Russian front. We lived in refugee camps across Europe. As displaced persons we refugee kids were made to feel that we were not as good as children born in the country. Later, when we immigrated to Canada, I became an immigrant girl who never fit in with her teen crowd. I didn’t speak English; I couldn’t relate to the culture, I was hopeless at sports. I was a misfit.

Even at home, I couldn’t please. My Mother would ask “Why can’t you be like other girls?” The edge in her voice made me feel that she was disappointed with me.

The voices outside myself–and the voice within me–told me that I don’t have what it takes. I carried this mind-set well into adulthood. When I first heard that Jesus loved me enough to die for me (not just for the whole wide world, but for me!), I could hardly believe it. But there was more: He wanted to adopt me into His family. This would happen through Jesus Christ. If I would receive Him as my Savior and Lord, I would become a child of God. He would take me just as I am. One day, I asked Him to come into my life. And He did!

Slowly it began to dawn on me that because Jesus lives within me, I have what it takes to live a joyous, productive life. In the grand scheme of things, I have a place. I have a destiny. I have an inheritance that is eternal. I felt like celebrating my new identity. After careful thought, I gave myself the name Grace. Every time I write my name, I’m celebrating the fact that I belong to the best family in the world: God’s family. And all because of Grace:

Great
Riches
At
Christ’s
Expense.

Where are you in this faith journey? Has life dealt you some cruel blows? Do you feel excluded from the in-crowd? These hurtful things don’t have to define you. The real truth about you is found in Ephesians 1:3-14. Put your name where it says “we” or “us”. Say the verses out loud to yourself, adding, “this is who I really am.”

Father, I pray that all who read these words will know the hope to which you have called us. May they experience the power of the risen Christ within and walk with dignity and joy. Amen.

Questions: Where are you in your faith journey? Do you feel excluded from the crowd? What defines who you are?

About the Author Helen Grace Lescheid

Feeling lonely and unloved? We’re here. Talk to us.

Cancer: it was the word of the day yesterday. My 74 year-old grandmother was admitted to the hospital with back pain.  Now she was being discharged with orders to see an oncologist. They found a tumor. “We believe its cancer. There’s a chance that it isn’t, but it doesn’t look good!”

My active grandma went from happy and healthy to full despair in just a few short days. Plagued with the thoughts of what our new journey would entail, tears filled our eyes, hopelessness filled our hearts, and our minds couldn’t bear to take in the pain she may endure in her last days.

As my mom cried out to me with the despondent news, I replied with a sigh. Searching for hope and truth I said, “Well, mom the pain won’t last forever!”

Where was my compassion? Did I acknowledge the fear, the pain, the emptiness that filled our hearts and minds? How cliche! What I said was true, but it wasn’t compassionate. By saying what I said I showed complete disregard for how my family was feeling at that very moment. When my mom pointed it out to me, I was convicted.

In my struggle with infertility remarks such as: “It will happen when it’s time!” open the floodgates of negative emotions including loneliness, anger, and a feeling that says, “No one gets this! No one really cares to try to understand!” It certainly is not received as compassion- a word defined as “a tender feeling.”

I’m frustrated with the Christian clichés. “There’s a reason for everything!” “It will happen when it’s time!” “He’s in a better place now!”

These sayings are cliché and people know it! And quite frankly, they’re lacking compassion. I believe as Christians we need to start showing the love and compassion of Christ. Start saying things like, “I know it must really hurt”,” I know this is scary”, “I know you miss your loved one!” “I can’t pretend to understand your pain, but can I pray for you!?” “What can I do to help?” OR we could just listen, and pray.

Dear Jesus, help us to be compassionate. Help us not to forget that you give us hope, but you also taught us to be compassionate. Help us not to be so focused on the future, that we forget to meet people where they’re at- where they’re hurting. We thank you that you are a compassionate God who loves us! Make us more like you! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Questions: Why do we as Christians so often not know how to show compassion?

About the Author Dawn Kurtz

Are you struggling with anxiety? Do you experience panic attacks and afraid to face the day?  Talk to us.

“When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you” (Isaiah 43:2, NIV).

So often, we want to run from our pain, run from the darkness that surrounds us.  We want to run from the confusion, the doubts and the struggles.  But there is something to be said about the times when we choose to embrace the pain, embrace the struggle.  When we go deep into that area it causes us to draw near to God, Who holds all things.  It brings us into that secret place with God where we yearn, asking, “Show me, reveal to me where You are in my situation, and who I am in all of this!” It causes us to go more deeply into God, stepping into Him in ways we might not have otherwise.

If we choose to embrace those emotions of hopelessness in those situations, while pressing into God, we will be thrust into God.  In Him we will find places we never thought we would.  In these times we will see Him in ways we never have before and even feel a new piece of His heart.

There is a hope within the struggle.  There is a joy within the pain.  There is a love within the fear.  There is a peace that surpasses all understanding of our circumstances.   JESUS.  It is Him. When we walk thought the fire, He is with us.  Our God loves to give a way of escape for His people during the difficult times.  He also loves to show Himself to us in those times.  Sometimes, He will provide a way out, and other times, He will use those circumstances to make us more like Him.

I think about Jesus, and how He chose to embrace the wrestle.  He chose to say “Yes” within it, and that choosing took Him to the cross at Calvary for us – for the Joy set before Him.  Something surreal and magnificent came out of it.  The world was saved!  Our Heavenly Father chose to embrace the wrestle when He asked His Son, to come into our dwelling on earth, knowing what His purpose was and that He would for a moment have to take His face off of Him.  The Holy Spirit chose to embrace the wrestle, and stayed with Jesus, empowering Him, against all other powers coming against Him, to endure the cross.

The wrestle…the struggle…don’t run away from it.   Take it…embrace it.  Press deeply into God during it, persevering within it, allow it to prove your character.  Remain faithful to God and rising up within it as a testimony to all those around you.  There is One who is your refuge in time of trouble, and there is One alone Who remains faithful to you in all things.  May His truth be your testimony.

Heavenly Father, I thank You for Your faithfulness towards us in difficult times.  I thank You that we can depend on You for our all, our everything.  You, oh God, always come through.  You truly are everything we need in everything we experience.  Take us deeper and show us Yourself in the hard times, in our trials and in our tribulations.  Open our eyes to seeing You in moments of affliction, and open our ears to hearing Your words over our lives during times of confusion and doubts.  I want to grow in You.  I want to know You more.  Amen.

Questions: Are you in a struggle that you want to run away from? What does God expect you to do in this situation?

About the Author Brigitte Straub

Do you feel hopeless? We want to pray for you.

Join us for our Daily Devotional Chat today in our Women’s Chatroom at 10:30 am EST.

The familiar saying, ‘If life hands you lemons make lemonade’ doesn’t always give me incentive to run to the market.  Recently, my family has gone through tough transitions.  I believe most of you have encountered the same thing. To list a few: the loss of a job, unfair justice and heartbrokenness.  Most times, we aren’t prepared for this and it hits us sideways.

I usually sit trying to grab my bearings, trying to breathe, and then realize I have just landed on Planet Lemon.  How do I deal with the lemons of life?  I have a choice to make which will make a huge impact on my life.  Imagine yourself holding two flags.  One is a plain white flag, and the other is embossed with a picture of a huge lemon.  You now have a choice which one to hold up high and claim.

1.    White Flag of Surrender to Defeat.
Have you heard yourself say the phrase that I have found myself saying?  Fine, Forget it. That can be a knee-jerk reaction to a hard situation.  The easy street on Plant Lemon is to become sour and start blaming others.  None of us like the sadness that comes over us and the truth of our reality.

Giving up on “You” is one option that leaves you feeling defeated, empty and a sense of hopelessness.  We all need hope and knowing that we are worth the fight.  This white flag is not the answer. “The Lord is our God, and we are His people, the sheep he takes care of in His own pasture”. Don’t give up on You!!!  Wave the…

2.    White Flag of Surrender to Jesus.
Jesus is the One who gives us Hope.  I love the image of the Shepherd holding a lamb in his arms.  He holds us tight and walks with us on Planet Lemon.  The Great Shepherd gives us incentive when we can’t make sense of it all.  I can honestly say that I don’t understand the situations in life that seems so heartless and hopeless.   However, I have also seen despite the unanswered and pointless painful situations brought upon me, God has been faithful.

He doesn’t take away all our pain and sorrow but He does help us through the situation to make lemonade much sweeter and ‘just right’.  As I make my own recipe of lemonade, I choose to trust and follow Jesus.  He surrendered His life to make our life sweeter.  We can than turn to Him and praise Him for the next step.

Why am I discouraged?  Why am I restless?  I trust you!  And I will praise you again because you help me and you are my God.

What Flag are you holding right now?  Have you been placed on Planet Lemon and wondering how to make your own sweet lemonade?  Where is God in this situation and do you trust Him?

Father God, I cannot always understand the situations of life.  Please help me to hold up the White Flag of Surrender to Jesus and trust You to walk with me and give me Your guidance.  May I then be able to taste the bitter sweetness of the lemonade that comes for all this?  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Questions: Are you struggling right now and need some help?  How might God help you through the situation that you are facing?

About the Author Linda Goodhand Rodgers

What would it take to restore your hope?

What would you need to reenergize your journey?

Though the answers are abundant, three come quickly to mind.

The first would be a person. Not just any person. You don’t need someone equally confused. You need someone who knows the way out.

And from him you need some vision. You need someone to lift your spirits. You need someone to look you in the face and say, “This isn’t the end. Don’t give up. There is a better place than this. And I’ll lead you there.”

And, perhaps most important, you need direction. If you have only a person but no renewed vision, all you have is company. If he has a vision but no direction, you have a dreamer for company. But if you have a person with direction—who can take you from this place to the right place—ah, then you have one who can restore your hope.

Or, to use David’s words, “He restores my soul.” Our Shepherd majors in restoring hope to the soul. Whether you are a lamb lost on a craggy ledge or a city slicker alone in a deep jungle, everything changes when your rescuer appears.

Your loneliness diminishes, because you have fellowship.

Your despair decreases, because you have vision.

Your confusion begins to lift, because you have direction.

Please note: You haven’t left the jungle. The trees still eclipse the sky, and the thorns still cut the skin. Animals lurk and rodents scurry. The jungle is still a jungle. It hasn’t changed, but you have. You have changed because you have hope. And you have hope because you have met someone who can lead you out.

Your Shepherd knows that you were not made for this place. He knows you are not equipped for this place. So he has come to guide you out.

From Let the Journey Begin: God’s Roadmap for New Beginnings
Copyright (J Countryman 2009) Max Lucado
Used by permission

Question: How does God comfort you when you start to lose hope?

About this Author: Max Lucado

The smell of freshly baked gingerbread came from the kitchen and the lights on the tree glowed as I sat for a few minutes and enjoyed the moment. But it hasn’t always been this way. There was a time when I simply did not want to have Christmas at all.

Just dragging the tree out and decorating the house left me feeling like my body was encased in cement.  Here was a season of hope and I felt numb. I could hardly wait to package up the tree, box up the decorations and put them in storage.  I could always try and imagine that the New Year would be better.

For some, Christmas time is a hard season. Hurtful memories and reminders come from childhood memories, an unfaithful spouse, a broken home, a death, still waiting to conceive a child, or a loved one fighting for our country. Whatever the reason, the feeling sits in the pit of the stomach.

I can’t candy coat it. We have to realize the reality for what it is.  Yet I can say, because I‘ve been there, that there is hope!  I believe it…I’ve lived it!  Your life, your walk may seem in despair today … but from my heart to yours… I know YOU CAN DO THIS!  This isn’t the time to throw in the towel or give up.

May I share 3 things with you that I learned in my journey through days of despair?

1.   Don’t give up!

Believe that there is a very special reason you are here. Do you know that a God of Love created you, very specifically? Listen to these verses from Psalm 139: 13, 14, 16b (CEV), “You are the One who put me together inside my mother’s body and I praise you because of the wonderful way you created me.  Everything you do is marvelous! Of this I have no doubt….even before I was born, you had written in your book everything I would do.”

God believes in YOU.  He took the time to specially create your own DNA and place you on planet earth.  Outside circumstances come into our lives that are not marvelous, but it doesn’t change the fact that God wants us to move ahead. He wants to walk with us through the hard parts.  He thinks you are that important and now is the time to start believing it.

You have a gift to open this Christmas.  It is spelled with 4 letters — H O P E.  You can’t put a price on that.  It is the gift God want to give you.

2.   Don’t forget to take care of yourself!

When hopelessness threatens to swallow you do something for yourself that will encourage you. In times of despair for me I went to the library for books, went for a walk to think or pray, started to make a list of goals and dreams, or simply changed my furniture around.  You will find what is healthy just for you. A friend gave me a journal book and I started to write down some thoughts and tried to put things in perspective.  Maybe it is time to set an appointment to see your medical doctor. Take care of YOU!  You are cherished by God who made you His treasure. The Psalmists continues to say in Psalm 139: 24b…”but lead me in the way that time has proven true.”  Grab hold of God’s heart. He really does care and wants to walk you through this. HOLD ON!!!!

3.  Don’t be exclusive!

One of the easiest things is to curl up and let the world around go on without us.  It feels like you can’t deal with anything.  I know. That is when you need to reach out for help.  I had to do that and now I am blessed with some good memories and some new dreams started. One Christmas when I was alone I helped at a dinner where people came who had nowhere to go.  It helped to reach out to others. In the quietness of your room allow yourself the freedom to grieve.  Just don’t stay there. It is ok to ask for help. Reach out.

Life can sometimes seem very low but don’t give up. There is always Hope.  Circumstances may not change right away, but the gift of God’s Hope and His peace is forever.

Psalm 119: 142-144 (CEV) “You will always do right, and your teachings are true.  I am in deep distress, but I love your teachings.  Your rules are always fair.  Help me to understand them and live”.

Today my body doesn’t feel like cement, and even though there are still scars and hurtful memories, they don’t control me.    God has taken the deep distress of those hard days and did as He promised in His Word: “He always does right” and brings new life out of the broken pieces.

From my heart to yours …please never give up. There is hope.  Grab hold of it offered from the hand of God and watch your journey begin.

YOU CAN DO THIS!

Questions: Are you struggling with painful memories right now? What will be your first step you can take to help you get out of your despair?

About his Author Linda Goodhand Rodgers

Daily audio podcast: A second daily devotional, The Challenge to End Well, today on the Men’s Devotional Blog