Hope in Darkness
It’s me! Yeah, I know I haven’t posted a thing on my blog since…wow, summer of 2024, shortly after the launch of my debut novel, The Queen and the Shadow Witch. Fear not, Readers, I’m still here. I’ve been homeschooling, writing a series and a trilogy, and been dealing with, well, life…
Fair warning, this post will not be my usual. It doesn’t fit neatly into my homeschool blog or my writing blog, yet I believe it is appropriate for both. It touches on a subject that affects many families and has been a theme in my novels, short stories, and poetry: life, death, and hope. If there is one theme that runs throughout my writing, it is hope in darkness. Even when I write the occasional story that ends in tragedy like “Desert Highway,” there is always an element of hope. Where? The hope is in the subtext, reminding us to value every moment with our loved ones in the now and not to assume we have another day.
Now, one might conclude, looking at my short stories on my blog that I have an unhealthy obsession with death. Rather, death comes up as a common topic because through the lens of death, I see both the value of life and the hope of eternal life. This hope is a subject I have been contemplating on for many years and one that has sustained me through many trials. Today I’m sharing thoughts on hope—not only in the life to come, but in this life. However, I also recognize that not everyone may be in a mindset to handle this truth. If you leave me an angry comment, I won’t respond. I don’t know what place you’re at in your life, so I’ll just pray for you.
A few years back, I was contemplating on how I wanted to die and wrote the short story, “The Long Walk Home.” I don’t want to die, nor am I afraid of death; I simply want to die well, and hopefully after a long and purposeful life. Many Christians talk about going to heaven and Jesus returning to take His children home. Those are wonderful truths for the believer. But I fear that sometimes, for some Christians, it is a veil for a loss of hope—not a loss of hope in their final destination, but a loss of hope in the life God has given them right now. In some cases, it may even be suicidal ideation with a halo on it. They don’t want to live in this life anymore; they want Jesus to come and take them out of their troubles now.
“What’s wrong with that?” you might ask.
God didn’t put us in this life, so we can spend it wishing for the next.
I’m going to confess something here that might come as a shock: I hope Jesus does not return yet. You read that right. I used to feel guilty about that. I used to think—like you may be thinking now—that it meant I was a bad Christian. Of course, I am looking forward to the coming of Jesus, and I know that the Father’s timing is perfect. But I hope that God’s purpose for my life is not done yet. I hope to finish another novel and that it will be an encouragement to someone. I hope I live to see my children have children, and maybe even have a great-grandchild. I hope God lets me live to be one hundred years old. Living a long life upon earth will not take away one moment of eternity to come. If long life were not a good thing, God would not have promised it as a reward to the righteous.
The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. –Proverbs 10:27
With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation. –Psalm 91:16
Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. –Ephesians 6:2-3
My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee. –Proverbs 3:1-2
The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. Yea, thou shalt see thy children’s children, and peace upon Israel. –Psalm 128:5-6
I love my life. I’m not talking about “things of the world” as in sinful living. I am talking about the gifts God has given me: a sunset, a bird singing in the morning, my children, a cup of coffee in the morning. God is good.
But you ask, “What if you lose those things?” If I lost the things I love most, God is still good. Let’s be careful not to assign evil to God. The Bible is clear about two things: every good gift comes from God, and God cannot do evil.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. –James 1:17
Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment. –Job 34:12
Evil happens in our lives for three reasons:
- The devil or the world is attacking us. (Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. –2 Timothy 3:12)
- It is the consequence of our own sin. (If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: –Psalm 66:18)
- It’s no one’s “fault,” but the result of living in a sin-cursed world. (For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. –Romans 8:22)
Like Job in the Old Testament, God may allow evil to happen, but don’t attribute the evil itself to God. However, rest assured that if God allows bad things to happen, it is because He plans to work a greater good through it. Either as a testimony against the devil and the world, or to correct us before we fall into more harmful sins, or to draw us to a place of perfect reliance on Him.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. –Romans 8:28
Let’s take a moment to truly appreciate what this verse means because I think most of us can quote it, but don’t live like it’s true. “All things” means ALL THINGS. Every pain, every sorrow, every hurt, every trial, every bad word someone says against you, the job you lost, that person who hates you, chronic pain, heartbreak, betrayal, injury, that horrible thing someone did to you, and even the death of a loved one. The verse doesn’t mean any of those things are “good.” But it means every one of those things God works for good to all who love God. This is our hope in this life.
You say, “You don’t know my pain. You haven’t lived my life. You don’t know my experiences.” No, I don’t, and you don’t know mine. All of us experience pain—physical, emotional, spiritual. Trying to measure the degree to decide the validity of someone’s testimony is subjective and fruitless. I’ve seen people falter in the slightest trial, and I’ve seen people soar through incomprehensible struggles. No one knows the depth of someone else’s lived experiences, and we tend to think that what we are going through is worse than someone else’s troubles. Often, we don’t know what someone else is bearing. I have been through three trials in my life that felt like my world was crashing around me. Only two or three people have known about any of them because the nature of them was too sensitive. But you don’t need to know what I’ve been through, and I don’t have to know what your experiences are to point to the truth.
People tend to rely on three faulty foundations: logic, emotions, and experiences. From this they often determine truth, and that is how people arrive at multiple conflicting conclusions and twisted logic to justify their actions. We must rely on the source of truth—the Bible.
Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. –Proverbs 3:5
Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. –John 17:17
Instead of relying on:
- Worldy logic – Rely on the unerring wisdom of God. (O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! –Romans 11:33)
- Fickle emotions – Trust in the certain knowledge of God. (For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. –1 John 3:20)
- Varying experiences – Look to omniscient God. (Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite. –Psalm 147:5)
So how can we have hope in this life, when we feel this life has become too hard to bear? Look to the promises of God.
If we are saved, we have hope in eternal life, but we don’t only have hope in eternal life. No matter our circumstances, we have hope in this life also. There is certainly nothing wrong with looking forward to heaven. But there is something terribly wrong if we can’t have joy in the now. That doesn’t mean we are happy all the time. Sorrow is real. But there should be a genuine thankfulness for our life and a looking forward to a new day. Christian, if you lay down at night hoping Jesus takes you to heaven in your sleep, I submit, that is no true hope at all. Hope is found when you can wake up in the morning and say “thank you” to God for giving you breath—for another day, for another chance, to live for Him.
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. –John 10:10
Notice, the thief comes to steal and to kill and to destroy. Any thoughts that you have that you would be better off dead. Any idea that your death would reduce the burdens of your loved ones—that is not of God! Don’t couch it in Biblical terminology. Saying, “I wish God would take me home now.” Or, “I hope God takes me to heaven in my sleep tonight.” These and similar phrases are not benign. They are not “spiritual.” And if spoken aloud to your loved ones, can be very hurtful. If you are thinking thoughts like this, know that this is not what God wants for you. Reach out for help.
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline:
Call or Text: 988
Chat: 988lifeline.org
The Christian life is an abundant life. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross bought us eternal life, paying for our sins, and if that was all He gave us, it is far more than we deserve. But God didn’t stop there. Jesus also gives us true life, true hope, while on this earth in the here and now. If we look at the context of this passage, we know it’s not talking about heaven because it tells us there are wolves and that Jesus guides us in and out of the pasture. We can have an abundant life now! It doesn’t mean free of trials—there are wolves and thieves—but it does mean we don’t have to wait for eternity to experience joy and peace in Jesus.
“But I don’t have that,” you say. Then I submit that you are focused on the wrong things. Often, we put all our effort into fighting the trial instead of resting in God’s truth.
The good that God works through the bad:
- Increased faith (My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. –James 1:2-4)
- A more mature faith (But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. –2 Peter 5:10)
- Eternal glory (For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; –2 Corinthians 4:17)
- A crown (Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. –James 1:12)
- A better perspective (For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. –Romans 8:18)
- Comfort for us and for others (Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. –2 Corinthians 1:3)
- Reliance on God (And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. –2 Corinthians 12:9)
The trials were never ours to fight, and eventually, we will reach a breaking point. When we can’t walk anymore it forces us to make a choice: give up or let God carry us. You see, I think most of us pray that God will take away our troubles. That’s not wrong. But I believe a better prayer is that God will carry us through our troubles. That is when we truly see Him work.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. –Psalm 91:15
I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. –Psalm 16:8-9
I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. –Psalm 27:13
God gives us what we need, when we need it if we rely on Him. This post is as much a reminder to myself to look toward Him no matter what tribulation, burden, or suffering may come my way. The other day when I was feeling down, I discovered a poem I had scribbled on a scrap of paper. I don’t even remember writing it:
Hope is more than a fading light
A dying flame in the coming night
The grasping of air
A lingering breath
Hope, our greatest ally
In the face of death.
Hope is more faithful than our dearest friend
When all other help fails us
Hope remains till the end
Succoring us, even when at its faintest
For in the darkest despair
Hope shines forth the brightest.
Some final thoughts:
For the unbeliever:
You do not need to fear death. There is hope found in Jesus. We were lost sheep, sinners, living in rebellion to God, and going our own way. Understand, that the wages of our rebellion against God is death—the ultimate eternal death in hell and the just punishment for our sin. But God sent His only Son to pay that price, so we don’t have to. Jesus took our sin upon Himself on the cross, died, and three days later rose again with the keys of death and hell! Repent. Place your faith in His finished work on the cross.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. –Romans 10:13.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. –John 3:16
For the Christian:
You can have joy in this life. Upon salvation, we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit and sealed unto the day of redemption. He is our Comforter and our peace.
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. –John 14:26-27
Thank you for reading.