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And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
Mark 9:23-24 (ESV)

A new year will soon be upon us. What are you hoping for?

Instinctively we almost always hope it will be better than last year. In recent years we have tended to hope for things like:

the pandemic to be over,

the economy to be better,

for there to be no more loss.

Our hope focuses on ending the pain.

PAIN. During my early phase of widowhood, all I could hope for was the pain to end. I wanted to be with my husband again. I couldn’t see or hope for anything else. My most fervent prayer during those first few years: I want every blessing possible from this journey!

Prayers are the utterance of what our spirit longs for.

Even during the most horrific time of my life, when I couldn’t see beyond the pain, the Holy Spirit was working through my prayers. Guiding me to ask for something more. Encouraging me to pray for eternal blessings. Glorifying God through my weakness.

Recently, I have once again gotten swept up in the busyness of the temporary, losing sight of my true purpose which is to glorify God. A simple question, “What are you hoping for? ” has prompted me to listen more intently for the Holy Spirit’s promptings. What is God’s will? How can I glorify Him with my life?

And just as He so often does, God answered as I was reading His Word. Words I have memorized for decades pierced my heart with a fresh, overwhelming desire.

Thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

What my heart really longs for is His will to be done on Earth as it is in Heaven! A world filled with grace and mercy! Where justice and forgiveness prevail. A world where everyone is loved fully. Where LOVE conquers EVERYTHING! It seems impossible, yet with God all things are possible!

Hoping for what is possible through God!

Hope can be difficult. It seems so impossible for God’s will to be done here on Earth as it is in Heaven when you look around today. Our hearts grow weary, our faith is weak. Lord help us with our unbelief!

We believe God is with us. Christ lives in us. We are His body, sealed with His Spirit. If He is here living in us, what more could we possibly need? The answer is faith.

In Matthew 17:20:

“He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly, I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you.

Are you ready to move mountains? What are you hoping for?

O Holy Lord, please help us to focus on Your will, not ours. Give us the faith to move mountains so that we might glorify You. Let our hearts align with Yours as we pray (Matthew 6:9 – 13 ESV)

“Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.