I’d run almost two hours that chilly, pre-dawn morning, the sun still below the horizon. I’ll never make it, I thought, passing mile 8 in a 13.1-mile half-marathon. Weak, weary and uncertain I could continue, I slowed to a walk. With miles of struggle still to endure, my hope of crossing the finish line drained away.
“God, my strength is gone,” I whimpered. “I can barely see the road and I just want to quit. Please help me.” As tears threatened to spill over, I felt the Holy Spirit whisper “I see what’s ahead, so don’t stop. Relocate your hope to Me, and I will renew your strength.”
Friend, it’s tempting to quit when we can’t see much of the road we’re on. Uncertain of where we’re headed, we then place our hope in our own strength. We mistakenly believe we just need to grit our teeth and gut it out.
But hope located in anything other than God will always leave us weak and weary. When we relocate our hope to the One who sees beyond the horizon, He will renew our strength to press on.
Isaiah 40: 29-31 reminds us that He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
It’s reassuring to know that when we’re weak with uncertainty, we can tap into the Source of all strength and power. So how do we take our hope and relocate it to Him? Let’s look at some practical ways to receive the renewed strength God promises:
- Reflect on the times God guided you through uncertainty. Remember that He’ll make the next step visible in His perfect timing.
- Reject the lie that you can do it on your own. Replace it with renewed commitment to rely on His strength alone.
- Relocate your hope to Him. Be confident that His perspective is unlimited, despite our limited view.
I still couldn’t see what lay ahead as I resumed my pace, yet as I placed my hope in Him, a supernatural strength propelled me forward. An hour later as the sun peeked over the desert horizon, golden rays lit up the road. I saw the finish line in the distance and knew with certainty that in His strength I would reach the end.
We overcome uncertainty when our hope is in Him to light the road before us and increase our power to keep going. As the only one who sees beyond the horizon, God promises to renew our strength when we relocate our hope to Him.
Originally published in Hope When Your Heart is Heavy devotional book by Proverbs 31 Ministries
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