Reflecting on a Challenging Year: Finding Hope

I won’t be sad to say goodbye to this year.

Some years are fraught with challenges, and this has been one of them. Family illness, crises, the passing of dear friends and family, life changes, just losses in general.

How many times can your adrenaline spike in one year without causing a major crash? I still don’t know the answer, but I think this year tried to test that.

And yet …

the proverbial silver lining?

I’m not sure I would call it a silver lining, but I would call it an alternate perspective, a different look as I think back on a year that seemed determined to crash and burn.

This year, I know beyond the shadow of any doubt that God has been faithful. He has walked with me through every trial and every crisis. I have never been alone.

He carried our family without accident for thousands of miles of travel as we cared for each other. He sustained us and strengthened us beyond human reasoning until all we could say is, “that’s God.”

This year, I experienced the power of intercessory prayer as never before. I saw God raise up an army of prayer warriors who are still praying. I felt the strength of those prayers, and I watched as God worked and is working through those prayers.

This year, more than ever before, I had to relinquish control of situations. Too many crises in too many places forced me to trust God in ways that I realized I never had. I couldn’t physically be present when everything happened, but He was there. I could pray. He was growing me.

This year, I have experienced deep joy during hard, painful, sorrowful circumstances. Joy that bubbled from the heart of God and strengthened my soul. Joy that sometimes expressed itself through tears. I have felt His presence giving hope and grace for each day.

This year, I saw the church come together in love and support. Our family experienced what Paul must have felt when the Philippian church sent offerings to meet his needs when he was in prison. I saw God meet needs repeatedly through the hands of His people.

All of those lessons, which could be considered blessings, in a year that has tested us above and beyond what we thought we could bear.

As this year ends, I am secure in God’s plan, assured of His ongoing care, thankful for the community of believers, in awe of the gift of prayer, and grateful that God is God, and I am not. I can stand beside the suffering and say with confidence that God is faithful. I can pray with those who are hurting and know that God not only hears, He acts.

Problems still exist. We still have mountains to climb and battles to fight. But we will walk into the new year being held by the omnipotent God of the Universe, and that is a good place to be.

This year …

filled with terror and tears, long nights and lessons, sadness and rejoicing.

It has definitely been one for the books,

but I am looking forward to opening a new one.

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God (Psalm 20:7, KJV).

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 (I Peter 5:10, KJV).

Photo© by Bethany Bowman (our granddaughter) – Walking