When all Around Our Hope Gives Way- Real Hope for the New Year

It's been a blue Christmas. One that has been marked with illness-fever, aches, pains, sniffling, congestion and wheezing, sinus infections, flu, bronchitis. My amazing intentions of having a "beach-themed Christmas" triumphantly flopped. Gorgeous white plates that are lined with conch shells and sea stars, scored at the thrift store, sit on the table unused. The beautiful shells never turned into ornaments. And my sand sits in tubes that were supposed to hold pine branches. Oh me and my idealistic, romantic ideas. Oh me and my putting hope into something false, something unlasting, something intangible.

All in all I'm doing well. I'm much recovered. I don't wish for a "quick end" like I was begging God for between coughing spasms a couple weeks ago. But there is a sadness deep in my bones. A depression I've been unable to shake in all my attempts of trying to create my own light. There is a dizzying superficial rendering of this pathetic attempt for fulfillment. For the perfect wrapped packages. For the baked Christmas cookies. For the carols sung by a fire. For snow.

Not a single Christmas card went out this year. No baked goods for neighbors. No candlelight service for me. 

I’ve been deeply invested in Advent reading. Reminders of God’s coming and dwelling among us in the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. The anticipation of His return… My advent candles didn’t get burned in the right order but my heart anticipated and reflected on my need for Jesus.

All else fails. All else pales. All else leaves us longing for more. Only Jesus. Give Me Jesus. 

He is the Only One (thing/person/place) that brings Hope. This isn’t the end dear ones. If your Christmas was lagging. If the candles didn’t add enough light and you could only see the long shadows. It’s okay. If the gifts were disappointing or non-existent it’s okay. If the relationships didn’t mend. If the grief was still present. If the cookies and treats didn’t satisfy. If the friendships were still broken. If the person still wouldn’t speak to you. If all your hopes failed… it’s okay. 

Because dear ones, our hope is not in this world. There is something greater coming for us.

I have dreaded this new year because I don’t “feel” hope. I feel overwhelmed, discouraged, and broken. I feel like a failure and empty… but there is one who came and dwelt among us. He knows the pain of disappointment. He knows of broken relationships. He knows of hurts and pain and grief and loss. And this amazing perfect God humbled Himself to become like us. He took on flesh and came as a humble babe. He allowed Himself to be amongst the imperfect, the inefficient, the broken. Those running away and hiding from pain, shame and guilt. Or burying themselves in addiction to numb their true selves. Or fighting, overachieving, striving, seeking perfection. He came for us all. He came to give us Hope. He came to give us true rest that we can rest in His good work and perfection. He came to give us restoration with the Father. He came to give us perfect Shalom-wholeness and peace. He came to bring us joy! He came to set us free! 

Our strivings can cease. We can lay down the heavy burdens. We can empty our broken pieces of ourselves. We can receive His love. His light. His hope.

Dear ones, it’s exhausting to be alive. It’s overwhelming. It’s downright depressing. But our beautiful Jesus give us real and lasting hope. He will never forsake. He will never fail. He will never cease. And when we are in Him, our hope is secure. It’s unshakeable. It’s satisfying. We aren’t home yet… one day we will be. 

Until then. Hang on. hold on. Jesus has you and He promises He will never let you go. 

Don’t worry about the resolutions. The promises to better yourself. To do better this year. Run to Jesus instead. Rest in Him. Rely on Him. Tell Him your troubles, your dreams, your hopes, your disappointments. Ask Him what He wants of you in this New Year… because only He will never let you down.

With the knowledge that the God of the Universe is on the throne… and His goodness is coming for you! Rejoice. Rest. Rejuvenate. Take hope. Take Joy. Take love. He has overcome the world… Happy New Year!