Despair
can tempt you
It can entice you
to embrace the complete loss
of hope
And you feel yourself slipping
into its clutches
But then you remember
You know that despair
is not an option
for one
deep in hope
And you remember
to cast your cares
your anxieties
your pain
your agony
your confusion
on Him
for He cares for you
And the slippery slope of despair
develops footholds
to climb right out
into the wide open space
of hope
– Susie Stewart
The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;
He delivers them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the Lord delivers him from them all;
He protects all his bones,
not one of them will be broken.
– Psalm 34:17-20 (NIV)
If you only look at us, you might well miss the brightness. We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at. We’ve been surrounded and battered by troubles, but we’re not demoralized; we’re not sure what to do, but we know that God knows what to do; we’ve been spiritually terrorized, but God hasn’t left our side; we’ve been thrown down, but we haven’t broken. What they did to Jesus, they do to us—trial and torture, mockery and murder; what Jesus did among them, he does in us—he lives! Our lives are at constant risk for Jesus’ sake, which makes Jesus’ life all the more evident in us. While we’re going through the worst, you’re getting in on the best!
– 2 Corinthians 4:8-12 (MSG)
Since God cares for you, let Him carry all your burdens and worries.
– 1 Peter 5:7 (VOICE)
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
– Romans 15:13 (NLT)
Photo by Arik Stewart
Susie Stewart 