When I graduated from high school, a good friend of mine gave me a red plaid stuffed dog with floppy ears. I named it “Hopeful” and it had a place on my bed for many years!
You have to understand that the person who gave me this weird looking stuffed animal has been my husband for the past 44 years! We have always been good friends, even during all of the years of our “on again, off again” dating relationship.
My dad, who knew how I felt and had watched me “suffer” suggested that it would be better to call my stuffed dog “Hopeless”.
The challenges of this close friendship, with all of its ups and downs, was good for me. I had to release my “hopefulness” to God, believing that even if this guy never loved me the same way, it would be okay, because God’s loving plan for me was the best. I laid this relationship on the altar, and trusted God through my fears and tears.
God really does care about the hopelessness we experience when our “dreams” do not come true. This verse says that God’s love is “poured out” into our hearts through the Holy Spirit. He also builds our character as we persevere in faith, not knowing what lies ahead. Take heart today, and choose to be hopeful in whatever God’s plan is for your present relationship.
Father God, please help me to be hopeful today, no matter how hopeless I feel! I want to believe that you have the best plan for me, no matter what happens in the relationship that I currently have with another person. Amen.
Throughout this Day: Choose to place an important relationship that you have on the altar today. Trust God to give you his best, even if your love is not reciprocated the way that you would hope.
Photo Credit: Matthew Henry on Unsplash