Hope RestoredSample

A Dream Deferred

I remember it like it was yesterday. I was trying my best to get into graduate school in the midst of a recession. Finding a job was pointless, so going to get my MBA seemed like the best course of action. I remember hearing all of the discouragement from close friends telling me that it would be almost impossible for me to get my master’s degree with no work experience. Not only that but after I took my standardized tests and didn’t obtain the scores I wanted, I started to doubt that my dream would ever materialize. I felt the resounding pangs of hopelessness.

It was crippling. I felt like I couldn’t move forward without feeling like I would be moving in vain. What would be the point of trying with all odds stacked against me? With all of the naysayers, it began to look like my hope of ever getting into graduate school was fleeting. If you are feeling like this, whether it's about releasing yourself from an addiction, finding a spouse, marriage, purpose, or your career—I can tell you, that you are not alone. First, it is totally normal to feel the sadness of hopelessness. In Proverbs, it says that hope deferred makes the heart sick, but aren’t you glad the verse doesn’t end there?

One thing that has always gotten me through the hardest moments of my life is knowing that this moment is only for a season. This season of doubt, chaos, and pain will eventually come to an end, and you will be on the other side. The Bible says, “The race is not to the swift or the strong, but the one who endures to the end.” (Ecclesiastics 9:11-12 ) It’s not about whether you have the best resume, looks, connections, or salary. It’s about whether you are willing to keep pushing forward toward the goal and the purpose that God has set out for you. God never told us that this would be easy. We are going to face challenges and, yes, hopelessness at times. However, our hope can’t be in the situations that we are currently facing. Our hope has to be in God. Once we realize that He is our hope, then we can be sure that our future is bright.

After countless rejection letters from different universities, I had given up. However, I remember one evening after working at a job I knew was a dead end, I came home defeated. My mother indicated there was a letter that came for me. It was a small letter, with the logo of one of the schools I applied for. I knew that it couldn’t be good news. Acceptance letters usually come in large packages!! However, when I opened it, my breath was taken away by the fact that I was accepted into one of the schools I applied to! Finally, my longing was fulfilled. I can’t tell you how much this testimony has gotten me through dry seasons of waiting on a promise from the Lord. Not only that, but it taught me a critical lesson in faith.

Reflection:

1. What challenges are you facing right now that seem hopeless?
2. What do you think God is trying to teach you through these challenges?
3. What are some “big wins” you’ve had in the past, that seemed hopeless but worked out in your favor?

Prayer:

Dear Jesus,

This season I’m in seems hopeless, but I know that there is hope in you. Help me to remember your faithfulness, and help me to overcome my unbelief.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen