Counseling Article
September 2010
by Donna Ridge

Psalm 119:147 I rise before the dawning of the morning, and cry for help; I hope in your Word . The dictionary gives the meaning of hope as : to wish (have faith my addition) for something with the expectation of its fulfillment . To have confidence, trust. To look forward with confident expectation.

A couple in the church gave me a small statue with a “balloon” that says HOPE. They specifically gave it to me to put on my desk in my office, so those coming in for counseling would see it and know that there is hope. There are so many examples in the Bible of the Lord giving hope to His people.

One such story is the example of Hosea’s marriage.

If you are not familiar with this story, let me give you a quick synopsis. Hosea’s wife was a former prostitute, and she worshipped false gods. Yet in the midst of it all God gave him a promise that He would give her hope (Hosea 2:15). In essence God was telling Hosea that He was going to turn her into a blessing to Hosea, giving him comfort that there was hope. You too may be experiencing trouble, hurt, and the pain of past issues and betrayals. The Lord wants to give you opportunities of hope. You may be allowing unresolved issues, unforgiveness, and wounds from past relationships hinder His blessing.

Closing the door to the past is not always easy. Seek His face; spend time with Him talking to Him about the past. Is there someone you need to forgive or someone you need to ask forgiveness of? Have you allowed a root of bitterness to rise up? Let go of the past and ask the Lord to show you a new way of handling situations. Close the door to all the pain and anguish. Allow the Holy Spirit to “fall afresh” on you. Then listen for His new marching instructions. He is our Hope (Psalm 71:5).