4 minute read
KINGDOM PROMISE: ABUNDANCE, HOPE, AND A FUTURE
BY KELLY WILLIAMS HALE
Hope and Healing
“What do you hope for?”
I asked this question recently in my private Facebook group, Sisters Who Shine, and received quite a bit of feedback. The comments ranged from those hoping their prodigal children would re-embrace the Lord to those who simply hoped to make decisions that would glorify God.
Jeremiah 29:11 tell us that God knows the plans He has for us, plans not to harm us but for abundance, hope, and a future.
Hope, for me, is expectation. It’s a lot like faith— believing in something we haven’t yet seen but trusting that it will come to pass.
God says He has a plan for us. How that looks for each of us is as unique as we are. The future He has planned will look different for everybody. And hope is the bridge taking us from where we are today to that future God has prepared.
Years ago, God planted a desire in my heart to speak. I was spending a lot of time reading the Bible and slowly but surely began to know Jesus. The words were popping off the page like popcorn, directly into my broken heart. You see, I was recently divorced— for the second time—and felt like I was damaged goods. How could God use me? I was a single mom (again) with two young children when the idea of hope and a future began to stir in my spirit.
I couldn’t stop thinking about this idea of speaking and encouraging other single moms. As I dug into God’s Word, I began to believe I am who He says I am. I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). My thirsty soul soaked up every word. As my faith grew, so did hope. And soon, I realized my heart was healing.
Over the years, my relationship with God continued to grow. Oh, I experienced the ups and downs that life inevitably brings, but I was steadfast. And the Lord was faithful. And my desire to speak and encourage women never faded. In fact, it became stronger. I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Could this be part of the plans He had for me?, I would think. Sweet sister, has God planted a desire in your heart? Is there something you can’t stop thinking about?
If there is something you dream about, something you almost obsess about, it is quite possibly from the Lord. Ask God for His wisdom to fulfill your dream or, if it is not from Him, to take the desire from you. This is where faith and hope are activated.
I know it sounds cliché, but when He calls you to it, He will get you through it.
For me, the hope I had in my heart carried me through the hard times. When I faced obstacles, I was reminded of God’s promise (Jeremiah 29:11) and trusted His plan. Yet, there were still lessons I had to learn. As much as I trusted God, He wanted to build my resilience so that I would remain steadfast no matter what was to come.
God was preparing me for my future, and it was in the preparation that I found healing. Hope allowed me to recognize opportunities. When preparation meets opportunity, our destiny can unfold, and our future is revealed.
There will be pain in our life. During those times, we might find it difficult to hope. In fact, we may fall into hopelessness. But we can trust God to keep His promise. We can also trust Him for healing.
God wants us to be whole, healthy, and full of hope for the future He has planned. Allow Him to work in you as you commit your dreams to Him.
Kelly Williams Hale is an author, speaker, and coach. Through inner healing and intimacy work, Kelly teaches women how to get past proving their worth and how to fall in love with God. You are invited to download her free guide: You are enough. 5 steps to slay self-doubt and start living your best life at www. thebebravelife.com.
