Pathways to Purposeනියැදිය

Hope can be a beautiful thing—but also a fragile one. Maybe you’ve hoped for something for so long that the waiting feels heavier than the hoping. Maybe you’ve made plans with your whole heart, only to watch them unravel, wondering if God even saw you trying.

Proverbs 16 gently reminds us that while we’re free to dream, plan, and hope, it’s ultimately God who holds the blueprint. That can sound discouraging at first—especially when we really want something to happen. But here's the truth: when our hopes are in His hands, they're safer than we could ever keep them on our own.

There was a season in my life when hope started to feel dangerous—like every time I let myself believe, I was just setting myself up for another disappointment. But in that season, God didn’t rebuke my hopes. Instead, He reshaped them. He reminded me that my hope wasn’t in outcomes, but in Him. I realized that even when things didn’t go my way, He hadn’t abandoned me. In fact, He was writing a better story—one I couldn’t see yet.

Ask yourself today: Where have I stopped hoping because I’ve been hurt or disappointed? Then invite God into that space—not with pressure, but with honesty. Tell Him your dreams. Tell Him your pain. And most importantly, release the outcomes to Him.

This week, try writing out one hope you’ve been holding close. Then underneath it, write this prayer: "God, I trust that You see me. I give You this hope. Do what only You can do—with my heart and with this situation.”
Let that be your gentle, daily surrender.

Prayer:

God, thank You that I can hope—even when life hasn’t looked the way I thought it would. Thank You that You see the big picture when all I can see are the pieces. Help me to trust that when I place my hope in You, it’s never wasted. Even when I don’t understand the “why” or the “when,” I believe You are still working for my good. I give You my dreams, my disappointments, and my heart. Lead me in Your perfect plan. In Jesus’ name, Amen.