Chapter 4 Overview

God Promises Hope for My Future Despite the Pain of My Past

"Faith looks back and draws courage; hope looks ahead and keeps desire alive."  John Eldredge and Brent Curtis (quote taken from Sacred Romance pg. 158)

Renee started this chapter with 3 promises:

God works all things together for good.
You were created for a purpose.
God has a plan for your life.

She then talked about how easy it can be to doubt these promises when we are walking through the pain in our life.  She talked of those time when we question "If God love me why..."  She emphasizes that it's not bad to ask tough questions.  However when our questions make us doubt God's heart, our pain can lead to bondage and bitterness.  We need to ask tought questions, but also look for answers that show us the depth of His redeeming love, so that we can live in the promise that He offers hope for our future despite the pain of our past.  He wants to heal our pain and then use it to help others find hope as well.

She talked about one of my favorite verses: Jeremiah 29:11.  It's a verse/promise so many know; "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future."  But she reintroduced me to the verses that follow, "Then you will call on me and come to pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.  I will be found by you...and bring you back from captivity."  (Jeremiah 29:12-14)  God's plans unfold each time we come to Him, talk to Him and really believe He's listening.  He wants to use everything in your life.  Nothing will be wasted.  He will use everything He brings you to, to bring you through.  He will use your past and present to prepare you for your future.  "We can ask Him to show us His purpose by revealing what is true about who we are and what we have been through that caused us to start doubting ourselves."

She also talked about how many of us run from the pain rather than running towards God's plan.  Isaiah 61:1-3 was a verse that kept coming to her, but it's implications terrified her.  It reminded her that the Spirit of the Lord is on us because the Lord has annointed us to preach good news to the poor."  The thought that God wants us to share our pain with others is scary.  We would much rather push it down, hide it away, forget it is even there.  However, we can not fully be made whole until we are willing to let Him heal our pain, comfort our brokenness so we can share His hope.  She prays that God will open the eyes of our heart so that "you may know the hope to which He has called you...and His incomparably great power for us who believe." (Ephesians 1:18-19)

We need to let go and let God write the story of our lives.  He wants to call us out of the captivity of our hiding places.  His power is made perfect in our weakness.  He longs to finish what He started, completing the work He has begun in us so our broken hearts would be bound and we, the captives, would be set free.  He wants us to experience the freedom of forgiveness.  "Invite God to enter into those memories (that cause you pain) with you.  Give yourself time to grieve your losses as you ask Jesus to heal them with the power of His Holy Spirit as you focus your thoughts on transforming truths in His Word.  As He shows you broken places, ask Him to bind up every wound with His healing touch and set you gree from any captivity that has help you until now.  Pray His promises.  Cry if you need to.  Just please take time, to heal so you can find hope again." (pg. 79)  Let Him bring you from broken to beautiful.

Praying God's Promises
Lord, You know the plans You have for me, plans to prosper me and not to harm me; plans to give me hope and a future.  I'm calling upon You and praying to You, and You promise that YOu will listen to me.  You say that I will find You where I seek You with all my heart.  Open the eyes of my heart so that I can know the hope to which You have called me and Your imcomparable great power for us who believe.  Rebuild my ancient ruins and restore places devastated long ago in my heart.
Help me forgive those who have hurt me, just as in Christ You forgave me.  Despinte the pain of my past, You offer hope for my future and want to do a new thing in my life, making a way in the desert and streams in my wastelands.  When my soul is downcast, I will call this to mind and I will have hope.  Because of Your great love, I am not consumed, for Your compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness!  In Jesus' name, Amen.

Scriptures to Lean on

Jeremiah 29:11-13 "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity."

Ephesians 1:18-19  "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe."

Isaiah 61:1-4  "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives
   and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations."

Ephesians 4:2-3 "Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.  Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace."

Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."

Lamentations 3:20-23 "I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."