One Word: HOPE Hope- a feeling of expectation and desires for a certain thing to happen, goal, plan, wish, expectation, a feeling of trust
One of the biggest struggles that we face in trying to move forward when dealing with a loved one in addiction is what seems to be a lack of hope.
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick but a longing fulfilled is the tree of life.” (Proverbs 13:12 )
It’s hard to see the beauty when you’re still standing in the ashes
This has to be the biggest battle you’re most likely facing today. So many times you’ve been filled with false hope and the truth is that when Hope is put off time and time again, or when we get our hopes up to be let down, we live with heavy hearts. From a place of heaviness we can find ourselves making poor choices; choices that cause us to break boundaries we might have not previously broken.
How do we move beyond this brokenness? In our human frailty, broken pieces cause hurt and pain, but God who is full of great mercy and love for us can use the same pieces and create an absolute masterpiece. Sort of like a stained glass window.
This is the beauty of the God we serve; a God of 2nd chances. No matter how many times we’ve blown it. He is there to restore us!!
Every time a piece of your life falls apart, God is taking those pieces and creating a beautiful masterpiece.
I’ve never been one to believe that God causes bad things to happen to us. But I do believe that he can re-purpose every event in our lives no matter what we have been through, no matter if we’ve been enablers in the past or our loved has blown it over and over.
When addressing the disciples about Forgiveness, they asked how many times should they forgive. Jesus said 70×7. The great thing about this is that Jesus is one who always practices what He preaches. As He challenged his followers to forgive; he did so from a heart that was willing to forgive us and restore us no matter the offense.
Accepting Christ’s forgiveness is often the first step in moving beyond our broken past!! He alone is the giver of Hope!