Ladylikeness 4: that thing with feathers

"Ladies find hope where there is none." 

This situation is impossible! 

Maybe. Possibly. You're probably right.  

Many situations are. Family issues, financial problems, health struggles, dreams dying, hearts breaking, lives collapsing. We live through and with problems that often have no solution and no end.  

Even though we try to fix them, they don't fix. After so many weary rounds, holding on to hope - to be honest - feels more painful than accepting defeat. 

And here, right here, is our battleground. 

This is where we will war for our peace, our joy, and our future. This is where we decide to do what's easy - give up - or what feels impossible - still hope. 

What do ladies do?

They do the hard thing. They hope. 

What I've learned from the ladies in my life is that they know firsthand the destruction that loss of hope brings. They hold on to hope through the impossible because letting go isn't an option. Letting go brings destruction to our spirit that is difficult to reverse.

Instead, they hold on even though hope is ridiculous. And foolhardy. Even though hope leaves them standing alone, separated by everyone else who already chose defeat. 

Hope, my friends, takes courage. 

Never forget that what we think is possible and what actually is possible isn’t always the same. Don't hand over your hope for what you perceive is the end when, in reality, it's only a plot twist. 
 

How To Put This Truth Into Action

When you choose to hope for no reason, an odd thing happens: hope starts giving you reasons. 

I have no idea how this works, but it does. 

Problems may not resolve instantly, but they may start showing hairline cracks. Hurt may not fade at first, but the weight may lighten. Hearts may not fully heal right away, but each beat will hurt less and less. 

Hope begets more hope, which begets more hope. And so on.

So, when our storehouse of hope is depleted, how do we find a fresh supply? I'm going to recommend doing something ridiculous: standing still.

That’s it. Do absolutely nothing.

It’s often our striving that creates frustration and frustration that creates worry and worry that creates panic and panic that creates hopelessness. What may feel like the end of hope for our situation could actually be the end of our role as the fixer of our situation.

Instead, stop all the doing. Ask God (even if you've asked Him a thousand times before) into the impossible situation. Then rest awhile. Practice trusting Him. Stand in hopeful expectation of seeing Him reveal His glory in your situation. 
 

They say, if you want God to laugh, tell Him your plans. I say, if you want to make God happy, give Him your impossible situations. He loves bringing dead things back to life.