joy in the morning

Today is a new day and I'm thankful we get a fresh start every 24 hours. This morning I woke up to more yucky winter weather, but with a heart full of hope. I used to relish new beginnings - fresh starts - and today a morsel of that is sprouting.

If God is all powerful - perfectly faithful - eternally kind, compassionate and loving, then why should I sit in sorrow and despair, doubt and confusion? My hope meandered its way into the success of my relationship with Timothy and then it redirected itself to rest upon being reconciled and restored to him - but as of today both of things have not come to pass and God promises that hope does not disappoint. My hope has been pointed at the wrong things - not that either of those things are bad, but that in and of themselves they can't fill me with peace, assurance and confidence. Only the hope of Jesus can do that. I needed some perspective and this morning when I woke up to a new day - I saw a glimmer of real hope and remembered the sweetness of it. My hope is that God would draw me closer and that I would be filled with the Holy Spirit - able to live according to God's Word and love others unto Jesus. My hope is that I would not forget the great price paid for my freedom - that I would long to live in that freedom more than I would long to be loved by others.

If God requires this difficult season, then who am I to throw it back and say no way? Whatever God is doing I know for certain that he is, in fact, mightily at work. Thank you, Jesus, that you don't clear the path for me to run away but that you gently and patiently sit with me through the night.