Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12 (ESV)
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)
I listened to a sermon where a pastor explained the phrase he used in a past sermon encouraging everyone “to have hope loosely”. He explained it’s not that we shouldn’t hold onto faith and hope but, we must allow God to move the way He sees fit in our lives, even if it’s not the outcome we had planned.
Of course, we should plan and hold onto our ideals of how we want our lives to be. We should aspire to reach our dreams/goals and put the necessary plans in place. But, we need to always allow room for God to maneuver in our lives and be willing to follow His guidance, especially if those plans must change.
In life, we all will face challenges that will be hard to endure. We will cry out to others and to God, praying for deliverance, peace, and strength to endure the journey. At times our prayers will be answered the way we would like, and at other times, the end result will be just the opposite of our desires. When this happens, we must not let go of our faith and hope in God. During those difficult times, we must cling to God all the more. By allowing God to work a situation out in our lives, our story/our testimony may produce a positive impact on the lives of others, of which we may never know.
God can bless us and others in ways we may not understand, nor even conceive. But by “holding onto hope loosely”, we are allowing God to work salvation, miracles, and blessings in our lives and the lives of others. May we allow God to be God, and to move in ways He feels is more impactful and will serve the greater good of mankind.
Blessings,
Angélique
To contact: Angelique@21stcenturygodlyliving.com