Finding Hope in Waiting.

I had a difficult time coming up with a topic for today’s image. Then I read a post by one of my favorites, DiAnn Mills. She is not only a bestselling author, she is a wonderful person, using her insights to bring optimism to any situation. In her post, she asks the reader what happened to them over the summer. You’ll want to hop over to What Happened To Our Summer and have a look.

I mention her post because she lists examples of how some of us were affected by the summer we just lived. I’ll answer her question for me in today’s post.

The photo is a really good depiction of how this summer has affected me.

We’ve experienced some of the activities on her list, like exercising more, doing projects around the house, cleaning the garage (which we’ve threatened to do for several years), pulling old games out of the game closet (ours was jigsaw puzzles), and worshiping online.

My wife and I have been at home together since early March and I can honestly say, we’ve enjoyed our summer together immensely. She had to be out of the house all day today and I missed her greatly.

I diligently wrote my blog posts, worked most days on my second book, and participated in a very busy CARE Ministry at church. I even attended a virtual writer’s conference and received encouragement from an editor on the book. This week I’ve been compiling comments from Beta Readers and asking them follow-up questions. They’ve been helpful and I’m almost ready for another round of edits.

However, in my gut, I’m frozen like the artwork in the uptown fountain.

You may feel that way, too. None of us would have predicted the summer we just had. I’m not sure we could have predicted how we would have reacted had we known it was coming.

Some of you may feel the opposite. I’ll join you in a round of applause for weathering a tough situation in a mighty way. You’d make a great mentor for others, no doubt.

If you are struggling like me, or in a different way, let’s remember what the Psalmist says in Psalm 69:3.

“I am weary with my crying; my throat is parched.

My eyes fail while I wait for my God.” (NASB)

We all feel this way sometimes. It could happen over an event like losing a job, a health situation (with ourselves or someone we love), or a loss. We may experience the wait over days, or months, or even years. The Bible is filled with examples of those waiting for years on end. Think Abraham, Joseph, Moses, Job, and David, the psalmist whose throat was parched from crying out to the Lord. The list goes on and on.

The good news is our waiting need not be in vain.

David also wrote Psalm 62:5.

“My soul, wait in silence for God only,

For my hope is from Him.”

Sure, we may wait. We may even grow tired and wonder if the waiting will ever be over. But remember, God knew before the beginning of time that this summer would be different. He knew then and knows now what is happening with you. He is the creator and sustainer of all there is. There is nowhere safer to place your hope.

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Where have you found hope as you waited this year?

Today’s feature photo comes from a “photo-a-day” challenge I pursued several years ago. The photo inspires the topic. For me, the posts challenge my creativity, writing discipline, and dependence on God for His message. My prayer is that you find hope in God’s Word, and that you’ll share your hope with others.