On Hope
I have not known much of hope
Until
I found myself face-down in the dirt
Lungs desert-dry
And skin caked with mud
Made from the sweat of
A struggle with You.
What I thought I knew of hope was resignation
Until
You brought my weakness to life
In a wrestling match I could never win.
Eye-to-eye
I am powerless against the rhythm of your Heart
As you turn struggle into dance.
Your power was my opponent
Until
My frailty found favor in Your strength.
Thy Will Be Done
But not until
The wrestle becomes a waltz.
The past year has provided ample opportunity for wrestling matches with God in my spiritual life. I never thought that I’d find the long-elusive definition of hope here; I’ve often searched for it instead in optimism and resignation. But, as I have learned to bring my desires honestly to the Lord, I have also learned truer consent to His will than ever before. As with Jacob in Genesis 32: 23-33, the Lord is not afraid of the most tender places of our hearts. If your relationship with the Lord looks like a wrestle right now, I invite you to look for hope in the strength of His nearness.
Kathryn Hurd is a senior studying strategic communications and anthropology at K-State. She's a maker, a walker, a butterfly-spotter, and a lover of a good children's book. You can read more of her words, ramblings, and random interests here.