My Hope In The Lord Is Not In Vain
BRD REFLECTION 2025
Isaiah 29 and Psalm 119:81-88 (NIV)
(Kathleen Jong from Discipleship & Nurture)
READ:
Psalm 119
v81 My soul languishes for Your salvation; I wait for Your word.
v82 My eyes fail with longing for Your word, While I say, “When will You comfort me?”
v87 They almost destroyed me on earth, But as for me, I did not forsake Your precepts.
v88 Revive me according to Your lovingkindness, so that I may keep the testimony of Your mouth.
OBSERVE:
What drew my attention in these verses is the psalmist’s overwhelming weariness as he longs for God’s comfort, yet in great faith, he clings onto God’s promises as his only hope.
APPLY:
What speaks deeply to me are the words longing, waiting, comfort, suffering, faithfulness, persecution, revival, and loving-kindness.
This brought back memories of having been a victim of malicious gossip, which plunged me into a darkness I didn’t know how to navigate. On the outside, everything seemed calm, but beneath the surface, in the depth of my soul, I wandered like a wounded deer, fragile and confused. Each day I turned to the Lord, seeking for justice and vindication.
The lowest point came when depression fully took hold. I felt utterly powerless, unable to do anything to lift myself from the injustice that enveloped me. It was a frightening period of my life.
Yet, it was in that very pit, as I was clinging onto the hem of His cloak, reminding Him daily of His covenant with me as His child and trusting that He was still working in my life; that I began to learn the deeper lessons of faith: to trust, to cling, to wait, and to hope.
Looking back, I realised He had never left my side. I can see now, how He was walking beside me in my deep pain, quiet yet unwavering, carrying me when I could no longer carry myself. That was when I learned the word, makarios – a joy and peace that transcends circumstances. And through His loving-kindness, He was teaching me to trust and believe in Him with my heart.
DO:
Reflect
Keep a journal of my testimonies of His faithfulness.
Reminder
That if He was faithful then, He is faithful now and He has never failed me yet.
Remember
That my hope in the Lord is not in vain.
PRAY:
Lord, when I feel weighed down and out of strength, stay close to me and remind me of the hope I have in Your word. When the waiting feels too long, give me endurance and courage to keep trusting You. Let Your promises comfort me and fill my heart with new hope through Your loving-kindness. You are my strength, my refuge, and my ever-faithful God. Let my heart be set right in Your sight, and make me resilient for Your glory, in the name of Jesus, Amen.
