Hope Through Perseverance – Onward and Upward
… but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:31, NIV).
Hope through Perseverance has been an appropriate theme for 2020. We certainly have all been called to persevere on the walkways of difficulty. We have had challenge after challenge that has bent our faith under the winds of adversity. Yet, we remain resolute and anchored, with a hope in Jesus that will take us up on the wings of eagles and continuously renew our strength.
As we close out 2020, we embrace the stance of onward and upward. Whilst we have had to persevere through difficult days this year, the season of hardship has hit us hard front on and we are acutely aware that all things are under the sovereign, trustworthy hand of God which gives us the light of hope as we press on. As difficult as the year has been, we have not diverted and straddled the pathway of doubt and defeat. We have placed our resolute faith in Jesus who renews our strength and bears our weariness so we don’t faint.
Isaiah 40:31 implies the possibility of going onward and upward in the strength of Jesus. There is an inherent promise of endurance as we hope in the Lord. We pass through the passage of pain and into a new season that takes us forward. God marches through the grounds of adversity, gathering all the broken pieces and redeems what once seemed lost. As we press on, we can also look backwards and see the trail of God’s steadfast, faithful hand pulling all the threads together to build our faith. He moves us forward, demonstrating He is trustworthy and able to lead us on.
God’s intention is never to leave us drinking from the stagnate pools of hopelessness that immobilises our growth. God wants to move us through the seasons of pain. He wants us to go onward and into new frontiers of faith that have an upward trajectory, allowing us to soar on wings of eagles above and beyond the confines of our struggles. Going onward and upward means that God not only redeems all difficulties, He draws us upward and closer to Himself and gives us the ability to persevere with His perspective and by His perfect character of love and faithfulness.
As we press on, may we know the deep, deep love of Jesus in all things and through all things. As we hope in Him let Him draw us close, enabling us to run towards the finish line with strength and assurance that the One who calls us will always love us relentlessly and walk with us unswervingly. Together we go onwards and upwards in Jesus.