Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. ~Hebrews 10:23.
“I think God wants us to be just friends,” he said. Imagine all my marriage dreams coming to a screeching halt after hearing these unexpected words. Until now, he and I were making great progress towards the altar, full speed ahead in hopes of soon saying “I, do.” But these few words felt like the lifelong dream of marriage and family were disappearing in plain sight; and I was met with the seeming reality of a heartbreak and unfulfilled promise.
I found myself asking “How could God let this happen?” We did all the right things in this relationship –we sought God’s plan for us, requested his direction, and did our best to follow his plan of purity. I wanted to understand why God chose to withhold this promise from me. I mean, didn’t he promise to give us the desires of our hearts if we delighted ourselves in him (Psalms 37:4)? Hadn’t I put all my hope in him to fulfill my heart’s desire of marriage? Hadn’t I already waited long enough for his faithfulness?
In seasons of unexpected heartbreak, it can be hard to hold on to the hope we have in seeing God’s faithfulness in the areas we desire most. However, I love that Hebrews 10:23 reminds us to not let go of the hope that we profess in Christ. A professed hope that results from knowing and experiencing the character of God at work in our lives.
In my season of unexpected heartbreak, hoping in Christ would lead me to discover the character of God in a new way. I would come to experience hope in God in a variety of ways:
1. Hope in God as a place of healing. He is the place to take my honest questions, deep pain, shattered heart, and relational shortcomings. He is the place to receive grace for unexpected grief.
2. Hope in God as a place of freedom. He is the place to process my thoughts and the thoughts of others when things do not go as planned. He is the place to receive truth that his plans and promises for me are still good.
3. Hope in God as a place of victory. He is a place that guides me towards the places, people and things that remind me that there is nothing too hard for him.
My hope for you friend that may be navigating your own unexpected heartbreak, is that you allow your hope in him to guide you in discovering God’s character and faithfulness for the unexpected. May you be encouraged that he aims to prove his faithfulness to you as you profess your hope in him. May you always know that he provides the best paths to victory in our unexpected delays, setbacks, and unforeseen circumstances found in the waiting and on the path to receiving his promises.
Hold unswervingly to the hope you profess in him, Sister. And discover just how Christ can meet your unexpected heartbreak in the most unexpected ways.
