Enduring Hope: Trusting God When the Future Is UncertainEsimerkki

[IMAGE CONTENT] ### Sickened by Lies Read: Psalm 77 SOAP: Psalm 77:10–13 Then I said, “I am sickened by the thought that the Most High might become inactive. I will remember the works of the Lᴏʀᴅ. Yes, I will remember the amazing things you did long ago. I will think about all you have done; I will reflect upon your deeds.” O God, your deeds are extraordinary. What god can compare to our great God? Into the Text It is not always easy to remember God’s character. When life falls apart, we can forget that He is good. When things seem unfair we can forget that He is just. When others hurt us we can forget that He is compassionate and loving. As the psalmist poured out his heart to God, he shared honest questions, wondering where God was in his distress. We’ve all been there—overwhelmed by doubt, fear, and despair. But then he said, “I am sickened by the thought that the Most High might become inactive” (Psalm 77:10). When we face trials, the world and the enemy will shower us with lies about who God is. The psalmist recognized this lie about God’s character and was sickened by it. Then, instead of giving in and believing the lie and falling into despair, he proclaimed the truth of who God is: that He is a God who does amazing things. Life is not easy. When the worst happens, we can be honest and real with God about our doubts and fears. We can ask Him questions, pouring out our hearts to Him as we lament. But then, instead of giving in to lies that can overwhelm us when we are hurting, we turn to truth. Without hope, we cannot fight the lies of the enemy. Hope arms us with truth, reminding us to expect good things because we serve a good God. When we focus on what is true about God’s character, it builds endurance and faith. When our hope is in the goodness of God and not the condition of our circumstances, we will never be shaken. Our God does amazing things. He reveals His strength to us day after day. As we focus on the truth of who God is, remembering His past faithfulness helps us know that He will be faithful in the future. Our hope is secure because it is in Him. He doesn’t always answer in the way we hope He will; He doesn’t always give us the outcome we desire, but He is always good. Our hope is not based on the outcome of our circumstances but on the character of our God. For He never changes and He will never become inactive.