A few weeks ago, I was lying in bed, trying to fall asleep, but my mind was too active. There was a certain something about which I was feeling rather discouraged. As the negative thoughts swirled through my head, another idea pressed its way to the foreground:  Pray. Talk to God. So I did. I don’t remember what I said at first, but I found myself saying, “Just because I may have lost hope doesn’t mean that things are hopeless.” When I hear myself say things in prayer that surprise me as not having come from my own train of thought, I immediately suspect the Holy Spirit. As other ideas began to trickle through, I decided to grab my journal to capture what God was saying to me…or through me, as it were. This (with minor corrections of grammar or syntax) is what I wrote:

“Just because I may have lost hope doesn’t mean that things are hopeless. It just means that I have lost perspective. I logically concluded a few years ago that things could never be truly hopeless because, as long as there is God, there is hope. And since God is eternal, so is hope.

My mind may give up hope, weary of holding it up on its own. But my spirit--which is alive in Christ--knows the truth. Literally. Jesus said He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (John 14:6) My spirit literally knows The Truth--knows Jesus--because that part of my being is inhabited by Him.

So, just because I’ve lost hope doesn’t mean it’s not there. It just means I have lost it; I can’t find it. I look from a “human” perspective and see no evidence of hope, nothing to support its existence. And yet, it is always there. Hope must be supernatural because it exists outside the natural. Hope lives in the realm of the miraculous, where dead things live again and blind eyes see. Where the unexpected and unforeseen happen anyway. Hope defies logic--and rejoices in doing so. It exists outside of circumstances. My heart leaps at the thought that hope is still alive, but my mind resists. It “re-minds” my heart of the pain of disappointment. It rationalizes. It relies on the senses to verify:  “See? Nothing’s changed.” “You still feel that pain.” “You still hear the negative news.” No wonder I “lose” hope.

So, once hope is “lost,” how can it be “found” again? Psalm 39:7 says, “But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you.” Psalm 62:5 says, “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him.” Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” God is a God of hope. The more God I get in me (figuratively, since God--all of Him--is always with me), the more hope I will perceive. The Holy Spirit will activate within my spirit, which in turn, can bring it to my consciousness. Just considering God more, talking to Him more, and praising Him more can bring revelation and, with it, hope. Contemplating who He is and what He’s done highlights the fact that there truly is hope, even when there doesn’t seem to be. God is unpredictable--always has been, always will be. That’s good reason for hope right there. He specializes in the unseen future. His ways are not our ways (Isaiah 55:8).

So it comes back to trusting, even when we can’t see. That’s faith. And that’s not something that comes naturally to us; it can only come supernaturally. We can ask the Holy Spirit to help us and then we can cooperate with Him. I am reminded of Proverbs 3:5-6:  “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding but in all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.” Trust God. Tell Him you do--or at least that you’re wanting to. Decide to admit that your understanding is limited, but God’s is not. And then acknowledge Him, both privately and publicly. Thank Him. Give Him glory. Finally, trust that if you are doing those things, God’s word promises that He will make your paths straight. You don’t have to worry about the path; He will handle it for you.

Thank You, Father, for Your word that helps me to understand You and this life better. Thank you for everlasting hope. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit. I love You! Good night!”

One of the things I love about the Holy Spirit is His role as helper and encourager for me. I am so grateful that He saw fit to speak into my life that night because, unfortunately, before He did, I was giving free reign to the other voice--the one that speaks lies into my heart. The one that seeks to discourage rather than encourage. The one that incites fear, rather than inspires faith. My God is so good and His desire is to protect me. His heart is no less compassionate toward you. Ask Him to garrison your heart and your mind from your enemy. And then listen for the words He speaks to you through His Holy Spirit, your Advocate, your Helper, your Comforter.