HOPE IN DESPAIR

    

Dear Lord,  

I feel enveloped in darkness and despair, as though nothing is going to work out for me.  Who do I turn to? Where do I go from here?  If I could give up, I would, but I have nothing to give up to.  So in this dark hour, I cry out to You and hold fast to Your unchanging hand.  I will not let go of the hope that I have in You because You promise to never leave me, nor forsake me, and You are my only hope.  I myself completely in Your goodness, faithfulness and Your love.  

I know that just because I can't see you doesn't mean that You aren't already at work in my life.  I cling with all that I am to Your promise Word:

 We know all things work together for good  to those who love God,
to those who are called according to His purpose (Rom. 8:28)

 Jesus, I stand with confidence saying that I know You are working everything out for my good.  Therefore, I will not be downcast, I will not be weary, I will trust in Your Holy Word, knowing that You are working things out for me.  I look forward to the day when I will praise You for the fulfillment of Your promises.  All that I am, all my hope rests solidly in You and not in the problems or emotions that I face.  For I know that Greater is He who is in me than he that is in this world.  You have redeemed my life from the pit and crowned me with love and compassion.   

Lord when I put my hope in You, I can't help but draw closer to You; I can't help but grow deeper in maturity; I can't help but sense a greater outpouring of Your Holy Spirit in my life.  Open my eyes to the eternal lessons You are teaching me.  

Lord, I don't want to live in denial of what I face, yet I know I should walk by faith and not by sight.  Jesus, please give me vision of You standing with me in the middle of my despair.  Lift me out of the muck and mire and into the heavenly places and clothe me with garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.  

Dispel the clouds of discouragement that encompass me.  I know that Your desire is to free me from my discouragement because Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light.