Hope in Front of Me

There's hope in front of me
There's a light, I still see it
There's a hand still holding me
Even when I don't believe it

Have you ever reached a point in life where it feels like you are at a dead end? Or perhaps you are at that point right now. We've all been there. I've been there countless amounts of times. In fact, it almost seems like my life is a constant maze, and one wrong turn and I will end up being blocked by a wall, stuck at dead end.

How do we deal with finding hope in seemingly hopeless times? Remember that you are never alone. In my opinion, one of the worst feelings is that of loneliness. When I feel lonely, the weight of my problems suddenly increases dramatically. Loneliness has a great way of, well, making you feel lonely. Like, really lonely. When I feel lonely or trapped, I remember that I am not alone. In fact, although I feel trapped at the moment, something greater awaits me.

God is with us always. Even through the bad times when you feel like all hope has been lost, or feel deserted by God, He is still there with you, and also at the end of the tunnel cheering you on, telling you to get back up again and to never give up. God is your biggest fan.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and that light is God. That light isn't just at the end of the tunnel, though. That light shines through the tunnel from the other side, guiding your path, leading you through the tunnel. That is exactly how God is. He is calling you to Him in both the good times and the bad, trying to guide us through the tough times. There is never a moment where God isn't calling you to Him. Looking at the big picture of all my bad times, I come to realize that all of them lead me back to God, and when they reach God, the problems suddenly are fixed. If they aren't fixed, then there is still growing and learning to be done.

Hebrews 10:23:"So now wrap your heart tightly around the hope that lives within us, knowing that God always keeps his promises!".

Psalm 119:114: "You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in your word"

I might be down, but I'm not dead
There's better days still up ahead
Even after all I've seen
There's hope in front of me, yeah

At this moment, you may be feeling down. God wants you to look at the bigger picture of things, and understand that there's better days still up ahead. God has a plan for your life. Even in the most difficult times when we wonder, "Is God really with me? Does God really have a plan for my life?" God has a plan. His plans may not be clear to us in the moment, and we may even feel like God has abandoned us, but these are the most crucial moments where we must remain faithful all the way through. Otherwise, we open up our life to more hard times.

Isaiah 41:10: "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

Psalm 23:4: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."

There's a place at the end of the storm you finally find
Where the hurt and the tears and the pain all fall behind
You open up your eyes and up ahead, there's a big sun shining
Right then and there you realize
You'll be alright

Remember how I said that God is the light at the end of the tunnel? He is also the sun of our rainy days. In the thickest of storms, His light shines through, guiding us to Him. God wants us to call on Him in all our times, both good and bad. He will guide us through the storm, leading us to a place where our pain is relieved, and we realize that everything led up to a perfect plan that God had for us. God is holding out His hand to us, saying, "Close your eyes.". If we trust Him with all our power, and all the faith inside of us, when He finally says, "Okay, now open your eyes.", we will see the most beautiful sun shining, and that is Him and His life for you.

Isaiah 40:31: "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint".

Jeremiah 29:11: "'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'"

There's a hope still burning
I can feel it rising through the night
And my world's still turning
I can feel your love here by my side

In the darkest of days, God's light still shines bright, guiding us through every single day. Although His plans for us may seem unknown, feeling His love for us gives us assurance that we are exactly where He needs us. We may face difficult moments in life, but that is nothing compared to the peace and happiness He has waiting ahead for us if we just trust in His plan. Use this to reflect on where you are right now, and how you can lean on God for understanding in guidance in whatever situation you may be in. Remember, God wants you to call on Him in good times and bad. There is never a moment where He is not with you, and all you need to do is call for Him.

1 John 1:5: "God is light, and there is no darkness at all in him"

Psalm 119:105: "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path"

Song lyrics, which are formatted in bold italics, come from the song Hope in Front of Me by Danny Gokey.