Jesus is Our Only Hope

     When I was at a relatives house the other day, she shared with me about the terrible condition of another relative and said, "Nothing's ever going to change." How many times had I, I thought, proclaimed to her the power of God to transform a person's life? I thought she had seen my own families' salvation several years ago, and had garnered hope and faith because of it.  She had seen the miracles, and I have continued to affirm it by telling her that God could and would change her loved one.
     Now, though, she was expressing hopelessness in this situation, and frankly, it caused me to feel down because of her unbelief. I wanted to say that if we don't hope in Christ, then there is no hope. But, I just sat there stunned and forlorn, almost as if a heard a quiet voice saying not to cast my pearls before swine. This word in the Bible, cautions against putting his precious truths before people, who will negate or not receive them, but will instead eat you, the messenger, alive. So, I held my peace.
     At one time, I too, had believed that nothing was going to change in me, my situation, my marriage and in my spouse. Somehow the idea of believing in change idealistically, when I didn't trust fully the only One who could make the changes, was emotional suicide. So, to believe nothing would change seemed safer. Maybe that is what my relative was feeling the other day. She had prayed about it, I know, for many years, and still no sign of change was apparent. After all, God says in His Word that hope deferred makes the heart grow sick. I understand her sickness, as I have experienced it in my own life before the glorious truth of His ability and willingness to make all things new in us was fully grasped and believed.
     Another thought rose up in my mind to possibly help her believe. Many years ago, I wrote a booklet about how God, by His Holy Spirit, drew and brought salvation through Jesus Christ to our entire family. I gave it to several people who had been instrumental in leading us to Him by their prayers and love. I did not give it to my husband's relatives because I didn't want them to know how bad I had been before coming to the Lord. I feared they would judge me, and perhaps use it against me somehow. I felt if they knew what I was like before, that they wouldn't be able to see how great God had been to deliver me, but would only see and remember my bad behavior.
     Now, I am considering giving the booklet to this relative, for the possibility of showing her that things were as bad or worse in our lives, and yet God, in His mercy and love, swooped down and rescued us. Hopefully, as she reads of His glorious deliverance of our testimony, she will see that He is willing and able to do the same for her family, and her trust level will increase. I am willing to take the risk of her judging me, if her hope in God can be resurrected.
     After she reads it, I am wanting to talk about it with her. I will share how I have struggled and been emotionally and mentally sick, as her relative is too, but God in His great love, came to deliver me, and is continuing to restore me and my family, but it has not been a primrose path, but one in which there have been setbacks and twists and turns, but it's always gone forward towards Him and in knowing Him more and more. My motto has been and will continue to be: "Lord, to who will I go? You have the words of eternal life." If I ever considered leaving Him, I would leave hope and love and life, and the potential for the renewal He currently is doing in us all.
     Once one knows how God is and what His intention is, and His willingness to complete it in bringing transformation from the inside out, then their hope is made alive. If your hope has been snuffed out, I pray that He will rekindle it, as He reveals His heart to you. There is no other hope; all other ground is sinking sand.