How Isaiah 40 Taught Me That Hope Is a Choice

　　Ever since I was a kid, I have always struggled with anxiety. I found coping skills that kept that anxiety in control for most of my life. But a few years ago, financial woes, work-related tensions, and other factors caused me to start feeling anxious all the time that year.

　　The anxiety got so bad that I stopped functioning normally. One day, as I was lying in bed with my Apple watch on, the app that monitors the heart rate registered my heartbeats at 129, 139, and even 140. This was heart attack range!

　　During this time, I had lost hope. I believed God was done with me. I thought God could never use me again — not in my ministry, not in life.

　　Once my health got too difficult to handle, my hope immediately hit rock bottom. That weariness made me lose hope in everything — including God. I lost faith so quickly that I couldn’t see a way to fix my problem on my own.

　　But Isaiah 40:28-31 tells us that God never fails us, even in the worst circumstances:

　　The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.

　　The Israelites are in great distress here. They believed God was gone. Their complaint can be compared to David’s in the Psalms, a raw, vulnerable cry to God in their distress. How do the Israelites react in the face of trial?

　　They wonder if God is ever going to show up. I cried out to God during my trial with anxiety and wondered if he had left me or disregarded me, too. That season was very similar to the Israelites:

　　God, where are you? Why have you forsaken us? Is this it?

　　Here are three things we can learn from Isaiah 40:

　　

We All Grow Tired

Weariness is a part of life. We all will have moments when we get tired of this life. Stress, financial woes, and health concerns are just some of the things that can wear us down. This passage teaches us even young people get tired.

　　From the new Christian to the seasoned veteran, we all experience fatigue. But it is our reaction to that weariness that allows us to demonstrate hope in God.

　　

Even the Weak Have Power

Verse 29 says, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” I never think about the weak having power, but they do.

　　The word increases here tells us that it wasn’t that they never had power, but rather God gave them more power in their weakness. But the power comes through choice. We must choose hope.

　　

Our Strength Comes from Our Hope

When we choose to have hope in God, who is unseen, he will renew our strength physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

　　We can lose hope when circumstances look bleak, or we can choose to place our hope in God, who is the redeemer of all things, or we can choose to keep hoping in our circumstances to change on our own.

　　If we keep our focus on the Lord and keep our hope in him, he will renew our strength and give us power like never before!

　　When I put my hope in God during my bout with anxiety, God healed me emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

　　How can we choose hope and allow God to renew our strength? We can choose hope in three ways:

　　

Choose Hope Through Community

My church poured out their love to me in cards, texts, and flowers when they found out I was ill. They became the tangible hands and feet of Christ for me.

　　What was surprising, though, were the stories from many people who had either struggled with mental illness themselves or had a loved one who had struggled.

　　These people’s kindness made me feel like I wasn’t alone. I honestly don’t know where I’d be without my local church! They renewed my strength in ways I never imagined because I chose to place my hope in God, and he increased my strength through their kindness and tangible gifts.

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　　This gave me hope that God was with me, he hadn’t forgotten me, and he had placed around me people who were able to encourage me when I was weak. Other brothers and sisters in Christ can be the people who uphold us during our toughest battles.

　　When they do that for us, we will more than likely return the favor to them when they are going through a tough time.

　　Which people has God placed in your path who can give you the encouragement you need?

　　When people get to know us, we can build trust among those people. When trust is established, intimacy is achieved. We can trust people with our prayer requests and be confident these people can pray for and encourage us when we need it.

　　

Choose Hope Through Processing Your Pain

I had to strip myself of the lies I believed about being a perfect pastor’s wife or a perfect Christian. When I went to God with these wounds, he revealed to me specific instances where I needed to heal emotionally.

　　I practiced forgiveness and rebuked the lies of the enemy. When God helped me heal that, I could love myself and my current church more readily.

　　

Choose Hope Through Telling Your Story

Recently, I attended a church conference. At the end of one session, anyone could go up to a prayer intercessor and ask for a healing prayer. Honestly, I was doubtful since I had suffered with it for so long, that the Lord would ever set me free from my anxiety.

　　I had made peace with my situation. But after I went home, after the prayer, I felt that anxiety break away from me.

　　Although I still struggle from time to time, this has given me hope for my future — that God will use me abundantly if he chooses. I share this story with others so I can give God glory and also encourage others in despair.

　　A great way to encourage others is to tell our stories of what God is doing in our lives. We can encourage the people we know with our stories.

　　This can be people like co-workers or friends who are receptive to hearing our story. Our stories can impact many lives. They may give others hope as our hope is strengthened as well.

　　Where are you putting your hope? Are you weary and weak because of life’s tough circumstances? We all lose hope when circumstances look bleak. Choose hope today.

　　Choose hope by reaching out to your local community. Choose hope by processing your pain. Choose hope by sharing your story of God’s strength in your life. God will renew our strength and allow us to endure even the most difficult situation.

　　For further reading:

　　In the Treatment Plan for Trauma and Tragedy — Hope Is the First Dose

　　What Is the Hope in Christ?

　　3 Ways to Be a Hope-Filled Christian

　　Can Hope Really Heal Us?

　　What Does the Bible Say about Hope?