“Why are you in despair, O my soul? Why have you become restless and disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.”
Psalms 42:11 AMP
I feel this verse in my bones. My face is not a good mask for how I feel. If I’m annoyed, I have a face. If I’m happy, I have a face. If I’m hurt or angry – I have a face.
My face even got me in trouble one time at work. It was the hardest – and one of the most valuable – lessons I’ve ever learned – how to hold my countenance in check.
As I was reading today, a thought came to mind about what hope “looks” like on someone and I heard in my spirit, “Maybe that’s an expression of hope you see on them, not merely joy.” When I think about people I know that have held out hope for something, they’ve “looked” sad, happy, annoyed, angry, and serene. Then it hit me – Hope is a state of being, not of feeling.
It’s an experience we all share – having hope for something. The waiting, the longing, the struggle, the peace, and the JOY that comes in fulfillment.
Proverbs says hope deferred can make us sick, but when it is fulfilled, it’s brings life:
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when desire is fulfilled, it is a tree of life.”
Proverbs 13:12 AMP
The KJV of today’s verse says hope is the health of our countenance:
“…Hope thou in God; For I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”
Psalm 42:11 KJV
One of the Hebrew definitions for “hope” is to be pained:
yāḥal -H3176- to wait; by implication, to be patient, hope:—(cause to, have, make to) hope, be pained, stay, tarry, trust, wait.
Hope. It is painful. It is glorious. It is freeing. It is hard. It is JOY.
It’s so important to evaluate the OBJECT of my hope. If my hope is placed in anything other than G-d, His unfailing love, His goodness, His Word, and His truth, I will be sick, pained, and disappointed. When I’ve been holding on and those feelings rise, it’s like the first sign of illness and a reminder to recalibrate.
Hope in Him ALONE. When we hope in Him, He is the health of our countenance. That’s way easier than surgery.
The picture today is what came to mind what I heard – maybe that’s hope, not joy. One of my dearest friends pictured here was pregnant with twins. Both were born healthy and are true miracles (one a superfetation twin). Her face is what hope looks like. G-d in his goodness healed her countenance.
Father – thank You for Your Word and Your love. You are so good! And so kind!! Thank you for Randi and thank You for hope. May I place my hope in You alone. I love You. You are good. Your leadership in my life is perfect and You can be trusted. Amen.
Daily Reading: Psalms 5, 38, 41-42