Alone.
How does that word make you feel? Vulnerable? Scared? Invisible, perhaps?
Stacy Lowe back with you again today, and while being alone is what I crave at times, feeling alone is something altogether different.
We’ve noticed in the blog community many of you feeling alone and struggling to find joy heading into this holiday season due to death, divorce, or other difficult life circumstances. It can be hard moving forward when you’re feeling left out and left behind in a world that never stops moving.
So how do we face those moments? How do we hold onto hope when all seems lost, especially in a time of year that’s meant to be joyful?
Matthew 1:23 NIV gives us a clue:
“‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’).”
God with us. The hope found in those three simple words steals my breath away.
Max Lucado says it like this in Chapter 1 of Because of Bethlehem,
“Jesus entered our world not like a human but as a human.”
God Himself, here on earth in the form of Jesus Christ. A human, just like us!
You see, it’s not that He didn’t already understand our condition — He DID. But by coming as a helpless baby and growing and going through life the same as us, suddenly He’s much more relatable. Suddenly, He’s not God the unreachable Almighty up in heaven; He’s now God our friend, the One who understands us when no one else ever could.
On our best day, He is with us.
On our worst day, He is with us.
When we feel on top of the world, He is with us.
When we feel like giving up, He is with us.
When our faith can move mountains, He is with us.
When we’ve all but given up on Him, He is with us.
He is there ALWAYS — a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Proverbs 18:24). So no matter how we may feel, we are never alone.
As we allow that truth to sink into our souls, hope will spring to life again. The details of our circumstances may not change, but WE will as we begin to catch a glimpse of this incredible love He has for us.
If joy seems out of reach for you in your current season, no matter the reason why, hold tightly to the hope of Immanuel. Let it fill your heart as you remember that He sees you, He understands, and He is only a prayer away.
Stacy
Let’s Chat:
How/where do you need the hope of Immanuel today? What can you do to help you remember He is with you always?
Remember — each comment on the blog this week will enter you for a chance to win this week’s giveaway! (Details in Monday’s post.)