S8 E54: Hope That Doesn't Disappoint

Hey. Hey. Thanks for being here.

Before I jump into today's episode, I wanted to give you guys a quick reminder that the Sunday episodes that follow along with the she is awakening seasonal journal now has its own podcast. If you receive emails from me, then you are probably well aware of that fact. But for those of you that are listeners to this podcast you might have missed that announcement and change that happened with the start of the spring season because they were all in the Susan Beck podcast on the Thursday episodes, as well as the Sunday episodes that followed, along with in journal. So make sure that you subscribe to the she's awakening Seasonal Journal podcast so you don't miss any of the episodes that are over there, and I'll have a link in today's show notes to make it a little easier for you to find that.

It's a little different format, and I've received some great feedback from those of you that have already listened, so I think that you'll like it if you haven't had a chance to check it out. So hope you do.

I don't know when it is that you will be listening to this particular episode, but the week that I am recording this is Holy Week and Holy Week is the period between Palm Sunday and Easter.

As believers that follow in the way of Jesus, this time of remembrance and celebration is so special and sacred. I'm looking forward to Good Friday to carry on a tradition that I started several years ago when our first grandchildren were just a few years old, celebrating and remembering together.

You know my husband, Ron, Papi as they all lovingly call him. We talk about the significance of this time and what it personally means to us as a family. I know that they all have fun now being with us as well as their cousins and it's just a fun special day.

But our hope and prayer is that the seeds that are being planted by us as their grandparents, as well as their parents, are being watered and nurtured in this special time together. So I'm looking forward to that that’s happening later this week and obviously looking forward to resurrection Sunday.

I'm going to one of my favorite spots that I've mentioned before, a park that overlooks the St. John's River. It's just one of my favorite spots to watch the sunrise and so I'm going to be there with a group of other believers here in our city and celebrating the resurrection of our savior as the sun comes up. I’m so looking forward to that as well.

Not only is this time a beautiful time as we're beginning the the season of spring here in the US and so as we look around, we have these visual reminders as we start to see new life blossoming and just coming up all around us. We have the new life of the season as well as this beautiful time that we as believers are invited to celebrate the new life that we have in Christ.

This week I was reading from the weekly focus in the Spring Journal and now we read these words.

A mystical whisper sweeped through the air, guiding us to embark on a profound journey within. To fully embrace the forthcoming blossoms, we must first engage in a sacred act of cleansing. It's a call to sift through and clear away the dusty remnants and echoes of the past. And in this dance of renewal, old ways of being and weeds that have grown up around us must be tenderly removed, creating space for the impending flourishing of transformation.

In the line, it says the call to sift through and clear away the dusty remnants and echoes of the past. It stood out to me this particular morning and I was reminded of the scripture Philippians that says.

For getting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

I looked it up in another translation and it says, “forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.”

As I was praying and processing my journal that morning, I became aware that this isn't always a natural response for me these days. I think I'm like most of you listening that we all have our moments or days where the thoughts in our minds are trying to lure us into not standing or walking in the truth that we know and desire to live in.

The scripture it's always been a little bit tricky for me because in some ways it seems to be a very fine line of what it's asking us to do, meaning, it's good for us to remember things. I mean, I was just talking about how during this Holy Week, we are remembering what our savior did for us. We're celebrating that.

It's very important at times for us to look at things in our past and especially to learn from experiences that we have walked through to take those into our present-day moments and the future.

So how do you do that yet not be focused on what is behind you?

Another thought that I became aware of was the looking ahead part of that scripture and reaching forward… I could see how in some ways that I was not being intentional about that and wondered if that is coming out of some kind of self-protection. Because if I'm not actually reaching or looking for something, then there's no disappointment when I don't get it or see it.

Here's the thing about the spirit of God leading us into truth. Yes, I absolutely believe that it can happen in a moment. We can have a revelation of something and feel transformed. All in a moment's time. But more often, it's not the moment’s time, but it's a walk.

It's a walk with God, a journey through life with our creator. This relationship is an everyday moment-by-moment kind of relationship.

My husband Ron, he's made a joke most of our marriage to people that we have been in this ongoing, never-ending conversation that started over 35 years ago.

And it's true. It's true. But it's also true with our relationship with God. It's not something that we turn on and off. So I know that this recognition for me is an invitation to greater insight around this area in my life, and I'm now aware and will be attentive to insights and understanding and growing in this area.

You know, I desire to fully live the life that God has for me, and I am clear that living in any kind of fear will keep me from doing just that. I don't want any disappointment from the past or even the present to keep me from looking and reaching ahead to all that God has purposed for me.

I pray that you feel the same and I believe that you do or I don't think that you would be here listening today. I believe that you desire to walk in the way of God and you want to hear his voice speaking to you and leading you in your life.

A few short hours later, that particular morning that I have been referring to, I heard part of Romans 5 and I later looked up and read the whole chapter and I want to read it to you. It says,

therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith. We have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord, has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory. We can rejoice too when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character and character, strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And his hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Of. When we were. Utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for our sinners. Now most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, we will certainly save us from God's condemnation. But since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God, because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us Friends of God.

Maybe it's just me and where I was that particular morning, but this scripture and more specifically, verse five that says and this hope will not lead to disappointment.

It's like the biggest nudge and hug from Holy Spirit. You know, bringing together this whole week, so I'm passing it on today to you, no matter what is behind you… behind you, as in 10 years ago, 10 months ago, 10 days ago or 10 minutes ago.

Forget. It… And look and reach to what is ahead, even if the sky is looking dark and death appears to have won. We have a hope that will not disappoint. It can't.

Let's let everything that needs to be developed in you and me, be developed.

You're not behind and you are not going to miss what God has for you.

If you will keep looking and reaching ahead.

I'm here helping with you friend. And hope is ahead. And will not disappoint.

Love you guys. We'll talk soon.