Hope In The DarkSample

When You Question and Believe

Endurance is not just the ability to bear a hard thing, but to turn it into glory.

—William Barclay, Scottish minister 

I don’t know what you’re going through or what you’ve already survived. But I do know this: our God is a good God who loves us enough to sacrifice his precious Son, the greatest gift he could give us, just so we can know him, just so we can glorify him on earth, just so we can spend eternity with him in heaven. 

He loves us that much. We’re able to love him—or anyone else—only because he first loved us.

When hard things happen, and the best you can manage is to want to believe, that’s enough. Don’t stop wanting to believe. 

Allow that spark of hope to grow by trusting that God is right there beside you. Pray and ask God to help you overcome your unbelief. Like Habakkuk, ask your questions and then be prepared to listen to God’s response. 

My prayer is that you would grow to have that Habakkuk kind of faith we see in chapter 3. But here’s the deal: you can’t have a chapter 3 type of faith until you’ve had a chapter 1 type of question and a chapter 2 kind of waiting. Because God often does more spiritually in the valley than he does on the mountaintop. 

I don’t have all the answers to your questions. But after loving God and serving Christ for more than twenty-nine years now, here’s what I can say: I’ve walked with Jesus for enough yesterdays to trust him with all my tomorrows. 

Do you want to grow closer to God? Do you want that intimacy with him more than you want a comfortable, easygoing, problem-free life? 

Then never stop wanting to believe. 

You can have hope in the dark. Because as you grow to know God, he will reveal even more of his love, his faithfulness, his grace. And over time you will realize, believe, and embrace that even when life is difficult, God is still good. 

Pray: God, I believe you’re good, and I’m ready to keep growing closer and closer to you. I’m in this for the long haul. Amen. 

Learn more about Craig Groeschel’s book, Hope in the Dark.