A Prayer for Hope When Life Feels Dark - Your Daily Prayer - October 29

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A Prayer for Hope When Life Feels Dark
By Rachel Wojo

Bible Reading
"For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." Romans 8:24-25

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I had the old cordless phone in my hand, ready to punch the numbers. I was calling my mom on a normal Thursday morning.

Then I realized what I was doing. Mom wouldn’t be picking up on the other side. She no longer lived on this planet; her home was in heaven.

I remember standing there in my little kitchen and the sorrow of it washing over me all over again. The heaviness of her being gone and me stuck waiting. I knew I would see my mother again. But time stood as a strong enemy between that moment and the present. Heaven felt very far away. The distance between what had been and what would be was a thick darkness I could never see through.

If you’ve ever stood in a moment like that, then you understand what I’m attempting to describe. It’s the reality of knowing there’s something you’ll never be able to fix or hurry. It doesn’t always feel like a dramatic moment. Sometimes it’s just a break in everyday life, knowing that what you’re waiting for is something you can’t see.

Romans 8 is one of my favorite passages in the Bible. Paul logically discerns, “Who hopes for what you already have?” We often think, “Well, if I could just get a glimpse of God’s good plan, then I’d have some hope.” Paul tells us in this chapter that it’s actually the opposite. “Hope that is seen is not hope at all.” If you can already see it, you don’t need hope.

The kind of hope Paul describes is the kind that sits with you in the dark, reminding you of God's unwavering love you can hold on to, even when heaven feels far away. No matter how deep the darkness, God's love is hope you can cling to.

Jesus sits with us in the dark. What I’ve come to understand is that the sense we need the most in the dark is the sense of His presence. Knowing in our heart of hearts that He is with us and will never leave us or forsake us. Hope is not off in the distance. Hope is standing by the phone in the kitchen, reminding us that we are never alone, even in our darkest moments.

Let's Pray

Heavenly Father,

You understand the weight of this moment I’m holding. Though heaven feels far away, You are with me in the everyday moments of life.

I confess that in the darkness, all I want is to see. I want light shining on a timeline and proof of what lies ahead. When I can’t see that, I think hope has failed. But waiting is not a sign that You’ve forgotten me. Waiting is the very place where You’ve shown up so that I can get to know You more deeply.

Help me, Lord, to sense that You are here. I don’t need all the answers today. I simply need to trust You in the dark and hold on to the hope You alone can offer.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Don’t miss this:

If you could use a boost to help your heart through challenges, I wrote Praying Through Life's Battles: 90 Days to Strengthen Your Faith for you. You can order it now at battleprayers.com. Until next time, remember, God sees you, hears you, and He knows your needs.

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/James Robinson

Rachel Wojo is an inspirational author, public speaker, and podcaster known for her popular blog, rachelwojo.com. Through her biblical approach and personal life experiences, Rachel empowers women to discover strength and hope in everyday situations. Despite enduring the loss of her mother, adult special needs daughter, and father, Rachel remains resilient. She has authored the uplifting book,  Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life's Darkest Moments  and recently released the 90-day devotional, Praying through Life’s Battles. Rachel is crazy in love with her husband, Matt, and cherishes her motherhood with six children on earth and two in heaven.

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