My kids have had their hearts broken and it is terrible. Deeply, painfully terrible. Of course that’s true for them, but those of you who love someone whose heart has been broken- you know it’s a different kind of terrible for you. A thousand times we would choose that our own hearts break rather than see our child go through it.
But when we have waded through the anger and tears, as loved ones and parents we can often see the blessing. That friend was not a positive influence, that part in the play was too much for her right now, that girl was not right for him or he just wasn’t ready to date. We see, but we still hurt for them. We give a little extra grace, cook the favorite dinner, hug a little tighter . We hope for them- not that what they wanted will be, but that what is will be good, maybe even better.
That’s the kind of hope I need this holiday season.
“A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new glorious morn”
A new and glorious morn has broken, and the light is shining, but there are still some places where the light feels “yonder.” And honestly, it is. There is still evil, pain, and suffering in this world.
But. Yonder.
We can see the light with our souls when our eyes are blind. That is what it means to hope.
Someday, all will be made right.
We have learned through the stories of the bible and the stories of our lives that some things are made right in the current reality- Joseph’s slavery was redeemed. Ruth’s love was returned. Abraham’s sacrifice was honored. But these stories show us that the healing may take decades, and it may look nothing like our imagination. The darkness is still present in the pain.
When we hope, we are choosing to walk in the light. We look at how God has moved in the world, and we take confidence in his continued-though-unseen movement. Through the stories of scripture and our own or our loved ones’ heartbreak, we know that what we hoped for may never be, but what will be can still be good- maybe even better. And in the meantime, God our Father is present with us, giving us what we need to make it through- all the way to wherever “yonder” may be.
As Isaiah invited in his day we are invited still- “Come, let us walk in the light of the Lord.”
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