When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God’s eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord’s commandments and regulations. They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old. – Luke 1:5-7
I’m wondering if you’ve ever had hopes and dreams that didn’t turn out? A great plan that just never came to be? I hope you can answer “no” to these questions, but my guess is, if you are breathing, you’ll probably answer “yes”. Our circumstances may be different but dwindling hope feels the same doesn’t it?
As I read Luke 1:5-7 I am challenged by Zechariah and Elizabeth’s response to their unfulfilled dreams and likely dwindling hopes.
God himself considered them devoted and true to both Him and to His service. They may have been down, but they were certainly not out! Despite their disappointment, despite their heartache, despite their advancing age, despite any doubts, they remained faithful to God and His service.
I wish I could say that my response to the aches this life can leave with us was the same as this couple’s, but it hasn’t always been. My response at times has been to withdraw, to shut down and sit down.
How do you respond when God delays or fails to meet your hopes? Have you ever given up on God because you feel like He’s given up on you?
Would our perspective change if we focused less on our disagreement with God’s time table and his “failure” to live up to our hopes and dreams and instead consider that He has a big picture view and is choosing the time table and circumstances that are best for you and I?
Could it be possible that maybe it’s you and I who have failed to remain faithful during the in between? What might happen if we continued to trust, continued to serve, continued to remain engaged, even while we wait, for however, long that might be?
I want to remain faithful to a faithful God even when I don’t see or understand, even when it’s hard and it hurts. How about you?
Neeserisms 
I totally agree! The problem for me — when I’m in that space of feeling hopeless — I can get too comfortable there. And it’s sometimes safer to stay in that space. So I climb back out, re-adjust, and thank Him for the journey!
Thanks, Denise, for the encouragement and for being real!❤️
You have such a gift in being able to speak truth and life while sharing your own vulnerability. Thank you Sister for your willingness to let God speak through you. What a blessed vessel you are…love you!
Thanks my friend!!
I hear you my friend!!