Hope

There’s a walking path at the prison that hundreds of inmates call the Path of Hope. It’s one-third of a mile long and made up of crushed seashells and small stones. Every day, inmates head to the path to exercise, pray, reflect on life, and find hope to endure their time in prison. While on that path, people sing Christian songs, give each other hugs, and shed tears. People’s lives change on that path thanks to hope.

One day, my walk was cut short when a friend ran to me to tell me that her roommate, Anabel, had received tragic news: her son had been murdered. Without another word, I sprinted to the unit. While Anabel sat with the chaplain, a small group of us gathered on the racquetball court, hand in hand, and prayed. A few of the ladies then returned to the chapel to wait for Anabel.

I walked toward the bleachers near the softball diamond and wondered how we would help Anabel survive the loss of her child. I sat on the bleachers and wept. I asked God, Why does it have to be this way, Lord? I know you work all things together for good, but isn’t there enough hurt here?

Then I watched Anabel and the ladies walk slowly out of the chapel with their arms around each other. Anabel put one foot in front of the other while the ladies led her back to her unit. I almost didn’t notice they were walking on the Path of Hope.

We wonder why God allows bad things to happen, and we question or doubt his goodness without seeing the full picture. The reality is that things take place behind the scenes that we know nothing about. Jesus tells us to trust God not only when we do not understand but because we do not understand (Proverbs 3:5–6).

We may never know the reasons for our suffering, but we must trust God, whose ways are perfect. We must place our hope in his Word, his promises, and his grace. Hope is the anchor of the soul, and Christian hope is rooted in our faith in Jesus Christ. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, hope provides protection, strength, courage, and confidence every day. It gives us the comfort and assurance we need on this journey.

This plan contains devotions from Step into Prison, Step Out in Faith by Katie Scheller. https://broadstreetpublishing.com/step-into-prison-step-out-in-faith/9781424566129/