Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; He will come and save you.” Isaiah 35:4
I have recently watched a friend’s salvation. Not salvation of his soul; he already had that. I have watched him saved from hopelessness, saved from the sense that life was over for him in every good way.
God tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 that He has a plan for us, a plan for good and not for evil, that we may have a future and a hope. He tells how our life has His design’s imprint before we are born (See Jeremiah 1:4-5 and Psalm 139:16). Things happen just as they are written. We can be assured that as God has ordained, His purpose will be disclosed.
Without revealing the confidentiality of my friend’s reasons for despair, let me just say that he had been pushed down emotionally for a number of years. He had been made to feel he didn’t count, that he was somewhat in the way. He pressed through each day without joy or expectation of meaningful life ever again. He was waiting to die. But recently his heart was stirred in an unexpected way. As he says, “Never could I have imagined this; I can’t dream this good.” And with that divine intervention in his life, he began to regain his self-confidence. He began to see himself through God’s eyes. He began to reach for those things he had thought he could no longer do. He reached – and he caught hold. Now he is living out exactly what God had planned for him before he ever took a breath. His life is filling up with success after success, joy after joy.
It doesn’t matter our story of disappointment and heartache as much as it matters that we believe our God saves. When we can grab hold of the belief that God cares for us and stands true to His word to never forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), mighty happenings will occur. Things will fall into place that we never envisioned for ourselves. Things will be added to our lives that show they are straight from the hand of Almighty God. We will stand back and take a hard look and say: it is true that my God will come and settle the scores and make up for my loss; He will save me from hopelessness and despair.
Don’t give up, whatever your situation, for His plan for your life hasn’t gone away. It may be in a holding pattern, but God has not stopped loving you. He hasn’t forgotten where you are or what you need. You are His child, and because of that, you have the right to expect the unexpected. Someday these words will be yours: “No longer shall you be termed Desolate . . . for the Lord delights in you.” Isaiah 64:4
Prayerful Pondering 
Beautiful!
Oh, my, this is a powerful and beautifully written account of someone’s turning point of life. Thank you for writing this, Pat, and to the friend that allowed it. God bless you both!
Yes, I am very grateful that he supported my putting his story “out there.” But that’s the kind of person he is — always concerned about others.
Wonderful words for those who feel they don’t count for anything yet they in fact do!
Thank you, Marsha. I imagine most of us feel forgotten sometimes. I know I have. Then when God comes it, it’s always wonderful.
Good encouragment. We have all had those times when we think we don’t count, but God with us is powerful.
Have you ever noticed that sometimes everything you read seems to speak to exactly what you are going through in your life right now? It happens to me alot! Thank you for your inspirational writings. I admire anyone that can put such beautiful thoughts down for others to read.
Yes, I have noticed that. I remember reading about a number of tragedies in the life of a popular women’s speaker once; I think it was Patsy Clairmont. I wondered how on earth she got through all that. Now I know. It is by God’s grace and that only. Thanks for commenting, Madelyn.