There Is Hope

It wasn't too long ago that I found myself in one of life's valleys. You know what I'm talking about, those times when things seem so hopeless, no matter which direction you turn or how far you look you just can't seem to find a way of escape. Those times when life just seems... meaningless...

For me, these valleys in life came when close family or friends had passed away, or when the poor choices I had made resulted in severed relationships, but the deepest valley's for me have always come from when the circumstances around me were outside of my control... and they blew up.

We all experience these valley's in life. I don't think we ever hope for them, but they are always bound to come - times when hope seems so far away and any sign of relief is just too far to see. Jesus understood this.

In Matthew 11 Jesus talks about life's valleys; about sickness, brokenness, and death... He sees the deep shadow that we can stand in when we are in the valley. Then he reminds us of who he is.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

In the darkness of the valley, Jesus shines a light of hope. Coming to Jesus is restful. When life hurts and the depth of the valley is overwhelming... Jesus gently and humbly says, "come to me... I will give you rest."

This video is a poem called "There is Hope" by Bradley Hathaway. In a short book that Bradley wrote, all that was written in a chapter about this poem was the simple sentence, "If hope were not so, I would not choose to live."

Are you standing in a valley right now?
Are there areas of your life that seem to be without hope?
Then may you find hope in the restfulness of Jesus.