Hope in the Midst of Change

Life is always changing. Sadly, we lose people all the time from death, relocations, or

even just relationship changes. Recently, my grandmother died, and I am still reeling from the changes of this event. Thankfully, I know that this was just a “see you later,” not “goodbye forever” because she was a believer. Back in the Old Testament, Solomon spoke of the constant change as “a time for” various aspects of life (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, New King James Version). So, change should not be a surprise, but it often is.

There are numerous verses in the Bible regarding hope. I will share a few of my

favorites! Isaiah 40:31 “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall

mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” This verse demonstrates that if we wait on the Lord, God will renew our strength in times of trouble. For me, this means my obedience does not mean that I will not encounter struggles, but I will be given strength for each new day/change. Micah 7:7 “Therefore I will look to the Lord; I will wait for the God of my salvation; My God will hear me.” God listens to our prayers. Our prayers are not a mere whisper of words into a void.

They are direct communication with the Creator of the universe. This truth gives me hope in my daily struggles, knowing that I am not alone. Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, say the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Pause for a second and think about what this verse is saying…God thinks about us in a good way. We are not subjects being tortured but children who are loved. God promises us a future and hope. Romans 5:3-4 “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” This passage shows how we find hope through tribulations or hard changes, which build perseverance, character, and hope. This passage teaches that we will encounter struggles (tribulations), which does not seem uplifting at all…but God uses these experiences to build our levels of hope. I have seen this firsthand when my Bible study group shares their testimonies. I recently challenged them to share their testimonies briefly. I was afraid that no one would take me up on this challenge.

However, as we sat around the kitchen table, each lady opened up and shared a snippet of her story. Our meeting went 1 ½ hours over our normal meeting time. These testimonies drew our group close together and gave us hope. If God worked in their situations, guess what, He is going to work in your situation, too. As Christians, we are not promised a life of ease without change; however, as shown in the above verses, we are promised hope in God. Take a moment and reflect on your testimony/story of how God has worked in your life. I challenge you to share a bit of your story with someone and see how God works to produce hope!

-Dr. Elissa Rogers (a contributing writer and member of the COBI community)