Holding Hope During the Holidays
What if my hope leads to disappointment? What if I embrace joy only to have it ripped from my hands? And what if I try and fail? These are the questions we often ask as we stare into the unknown and wrestle with uncertainty. These questions can feel particularly poignant during the Advent season as we are invited to hope and anticipate the joy of Christ.
Like me, I’m guessing you know what it’s like to encounter heartache that makes you hesitant to rise to delight in your days and look to the future with an expectant heart. When we’ve experienced pain, it can be difficult to trust God’s promises. Pessimism is easier. Cynicism is safer. But the story of Elizabeth and Zechariah in Luke 1 extends a different invitation.
Both Elizabeth and Zechariah, walked faithfully with God, even as they carried shame and grief in being unable to conceive a child. When the angel Gabriel visited Zechariah, he was unable to release his doubt and embrace the good news and as a result, was silenced for a period of time by God (Luke 1: 19–20). Zechariah had known God as his comforter, but was unable to trust Him as his celebrator. He wanted proof before deciding that joy was a good idea.
Two Responses to God’s Promise
In contrast, Elizabeth readily received God’s gift of grace, seeing beyond her personal experience to what is possible with God. She was not entangled by doubt, nor did she allow the dread of what could happen to cause disbelief in God.
Honestly? I’m more like Zechariah. I long for a future that’s guarded with guarantees. But, with God’s help, I’m growing toward having a heart like Elizabeth.
I want to recognize God in pain and joy and be unafraid to celebrate knowing that God is present and engaged in both experiences. I would like to look into the unknown and choose to wonder about how God will move. The goal is to appreciate beauty without dreading its dark side. I would like to say yes to a dream without weighing it down with ideas about everything that could go wrong. I want to build plans with possibilities instead of problems.
Fear shouldn’t stop me from laughing or cheering out loud in the face of good news. I long to step into the light and trust that God will meet me there.
Hope That Rests on God’s Faithfulness
It’s worth noting that Zechariah’s pessimism doesn’t keep him from the promise. Though Zechariah was silenced for a time because of his doubt, God was faithful to His promise. When hope feels scarce, sometimes we wonder if we need to demonstrate a certain level of faith before God is willing to intervene in our circumstances and bring breakthrough and healing.
It’s easy to assume that our pain is the result of some sort of formula—our failure to be enough—good enough, strong enough, brave enough…But God’s faithfulness to us doesn’t depend on our faith. His goodness is not a function of our goodness. There is simply so much joy available to us when we trust God and take Him at His word.
We don’t hope because of what we receive. We hope because of Who we receive: The Person and presence of Jesus Christ. No matter what the future holds, we can celebrate that God will be exactly who He says He is. Looking ahead, will we allow our awe of God to expand beyond the limits of our own imagination?
Will we hold an expectant heart…one that can celebrate God’s promises in the midst of all circumstances? Will we choose to place our hope in what is possible with God, knowing that God is holding us?
In Your Life
In what ways are you tempted to react to joy with pessimism and cynicism like Zechariah in this story?
What can we learn from Elizabeth’s example?
How does it increase your courage to hope when you consider that we hope because of Who we receive, not what we receive?
We Recommend
Nicole’s book, What If It’s Wonderful states that joy can feel risky. When you’ve experienced pain of any kind, it can feel safer not to embrace joy at all than to hold something that might break. Regardless of how different our stories might be, we all know what it’s like to feel afraid to dream because we might be disappointed, afraid to hope because we might be heartbroken, or afraid to try because we might fail. If you ever feel like joy is out of reach, you’re not alone. Thankfully, the Bible paints a different picture—one that gives us the courage to hold joy
Daring Joy: What Six Women in the Bible Teach Us About the Power of Celebration When it Feels Risky, Complicated, and Even Impossible — A Bible Study by Nicole Zasowski. In this 7-session Bible study, Nicole Zasowski draws from her experience as a licensed marriage and family therapist to point you to the enduring joy Jesus promises. Through the examples of six women in the Bible who model the vulnerability of joy, the power of celebration, and everything in between, Nicole reveals that abundant joy is something God longs for you to embrace!
Let’s Connect
Nicole Zasowski’s books From Lost to Found, What If It’s Wonderful? and her new Bible Study Daring Joy can be found anywhere books are sold. Nicole would love to connect with you through her website at nicolezasowski.com or on Instagram at @nicolezasowski.