Read This When Your Hope Is Fading - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - December 27, 2024
"Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4
I've been waiting for healing for about seven years. In anticipation, my hope has faded. I've grown fatigued, worn, and weary. Just when it looks like light at the end of the tunnel, dark clouds surround me. That's the life of most people who suffer from chronic physical and mental anguish. Does it describe you and yours?
If we're honest, it's hard to be hopeful when hope itself is fading. Though he didn't face physical or mental turmoil that we're aware of, Simeon knew what it was like to wait patiently, endure, and grow weary. Over 2,000 years ago, the people of Jerusalem were waiting for their King. When He showed up as a baby born in a manger, they didn't know what to think. But not Simeon.
Simeon was a man who served God faithfully and wholeheartedly. He was patient, persevering, and clung to the promises spoken to Him. And yet, He still had to wait. The older he grew, the more weary I suspect he felt. God had told Simeon that he wouldn't die until he saw the Messiah. But let's be honest, Simeon was now an elderly man. He clung to precious promises but probably felt His hope fading.
Before Jesus was born, Simeon was given two choices:
1. To persevere.
2. To quit.
Today, I think each of us is given the same choice. No matter our circumstances or what hope looks like, we can persevere or quit. If we're wise, we will learn to be like Simeon—a man who waited tirelessly for the Lord's promises and was steadfast, unwavering, and true. He believed that God would give him the desires of his heart (to see and bless the Messiah before he died [Luke 2:26]) and saw it through to completion.
Luke 2:25-35 recounts our story this way: "At that time there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon. He was righteous and devout and was eagerly waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue Israel. The Holy Spirit was upon him and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. That day the Spirit led him to the Temple. So when Mary and Joseph came to present the baby Jesus to the Lord as the law required, Simeon was there. He took the child in his arms and praised God, saying, 'Sovereign Lord, now let your servant die in peace, as you have promised. I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared for all people. He is a light to reveal God to the nations, and he is the glory of your people Israel!' Jesus’ parents were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them, and he said to Mary, the baby’s mother, 'This child is destined to cause many in Israel to fall, and many others to rise. He has been sent as a sign from God, but many will oppose him. As a result, the deepest thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your very soul'" (NLT).
If your hope is fading today, friend, might I encourage you of this: Those who are weak and weary will still inherit the promises of God. Like Simeon, may we have the faith to continue in our journey even when the years drag on and our hope starts to fade. God keeps His promises to His children, and He loves you.
It’s okay to grow weary and tired. It’s okay to doubt, have questions, and be confused. But let us look to Simeon as an example. Let us remain hopeful even when the waiting seems long and bless Him who has been given to us to save us from our sins.
Let's pray:
Dear Jesus,
You know how tired many of us are from waiting. We grow complacent, famished, and tired. But help us cling to your precious promises that you’ve given to us even as we wait. Let us always look to you amid our circumstances, knowing that you see us and love us even there. Though the wait for our Messiah to come back seems long, we know that you're not slow in your coming. Your timing is perfect, and we trust your abundant and gracious plan. Help us cling to hope in faith, even as we waiver. We praise, thank, and trust you, Lord, Jesus—for even in the waiting, you know what we need most. Amen.
Agape, Amber
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Nadine Rupprecht
Related Resource: Instead of Doing More This Summer, Maybe You Need to Do Less
If you've been feeling tired, overwhelmed, depleted, or just quietly wondering where God is in the middle of a very full life — this episode is for you. And honestly? It might be for me too, because I'm recording this in one of those seasons myself.
Today we're doing something a little different. Instead of going deep in a passage, we're talking about what to do when deep feels like too much — when you need less, not more. Specifically, I'm walking you through one of my favorite practices for weary seasons: handwriting scripture.
Not typing it. Not scrolling past it. Actually writing it out, slowly, in your own hand — because something happens in your brain when you do that. The words land differently. They go deeper. And over time, they become part of that personal library of God's voice that the Holy Spirit can pull from when you need it most. That's what Psalm 119:11 means when it says I have hidden your word in my heart — it's scripture moving into your long-term memory, where it lives and stays even when you haven't opened your Bible in weeks.
I'm sharing the five verses I wrote out for myself today — and why each one hit me fresh even though I've known some of them for years. This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to follow the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
