HOPE, THE ART OF WAITING WITH FAITH

Lamentações 3:21-24

It’s almost mid-December, near the end of the year, and usually this is a time when we get more
reflective, thinking about what happened and what is to come. I don’t know about you, but I
usually get even more excited, thinking about what I’m going to do, what’s to come, and this
always brings me hope, a subject I want to talk to you about today.

Hope in a different year

The year 2020, for sure, was very different from what we could imagine there in January. The
virus that the whole world has been living with had just been discovered, it was still not possible
to imagine everything that would come. But soon after the world scenario changed and we saw
despair, fear and insecurity probing the lives of many.

The rate of death by covid increased, that of unemployment skyrocketed. We began to

experience a world crisis not only economically, but health and humanitarian. With all this, I
mean, it has not been easy, but we have come this far and for me something that has become
clear throughout this period is how different is the way to see the situation of those who have
hope in Christ Jesus and those who place their trust in men.

I am not saying that it was easy for those who have faith, but that when we know the faithfulness
of our God, we are not easily shaken. And this reminds me of Psalm 33, where it is written that
our hope is in the Lord, because he is our help and our protection.

Of course, I wanted to share a very personal reflection, that as a Christian something saddened
me a lot this year, was to see other Christians not giving the proper seriousness to the situation
we are experiencing. God gives means and strategies so that we can protect ourselves and the
Bible teaches us to be prudent, however, I have seen many not showing real concern for their
neighbor, not taking care of themselves or others.
But well, going back to hope, this year as I entered my social networks I saw publications like
“I’m not going to celebrate my birthday because 2020 wasn’t worth it”, and others with a
somewhat sad content, which reflected depression and anxiety. So, if you are one of the people
who considers this a year to be “thrown away”, I want to ask you, is 2020 really not worth it?

Testimony

In particular, this was not an easy year for me and my family. Unemployment came to our home
right when the pandemic started, but despite that God did not abandon us. It was a year when
everyone in my home was treated in the most intimate way, called to secrecy and confronted. It
was a year in which pride had to be put aside and in which I saw each of the people I live with,
including myself, take the relationship with God to another level.

Thinking about everything I’ve lived through, this was a year in which my faith was tested and
strengthened, because when I didn’t know what else to do or where the provision would come
from, I once again experienced God’s wonderful faithfulness. I don’t know what his difficulty
was this year, but I want to tell you, keep your hope in the Lord, because he acts even when we
are not able to see.

Conclusion

Well, at this moment I want you to reflect a bit on your year, remember the situations in which
God acted in your favor. As I wrote in a previous post, we often let ourselves forget the wonders
our Lord has granted us, generating ingratitude in our hearts, but our Father, who is different
from us who are failures, is faithful in fulfilling what he promised.

As it is written in Psalm 117:2, God’s kindness is great to us, and his faithfulness lasts forever!
So, just as the Lord has already done, he will still do, he will continue taking care of you and
your family. Have hope in the only one who does not despair. Wait with faith. Begin the next
year with hope in the one who does not fail.