The weary world rejoices.

And it is a weary world. Homelessness and food insecurity. Inflation and mental illness. Depression, anxiety and isolation. Cancer, Covid, autoimmune disorders. The list abounds.

Even within the church the struggle is real. God’s call on my life is to come alongside women who want to be godly, biblical wives. Nearly all of these women are married to professing Christians who are not leading their families as God calls them.

Hope is something we need desperately. It’s something we sing about a lot this time of year. I recently found myself lingering on the words from O Holy Night:

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices

I love the idea of hope thrilling us. Can we anticipate/uncover/perceive within us an excited expectation of something good to come?

There is no guarantee that God will change our husbands. But we do know that He works all things together for our good if we follow Jesus.

Wait…  how do we reconcile that verse, and I take it as a promise, with the real struggles the apostles encountered after Jesus returned to heaven? Shipwrecks, imprisonments, martyrdom. Are these the  good that was promised?

Maybe we need to gain a better understanding of good.

Yes, it would be good if a lonely and hurting wife was suddenly cherished and valued by her husband. But it would be infinitely better if she truly comprehended how loved she is by her Creator.

It would be good to live free of the bondage that claims us when we have not truly forgiven those in our past who did us much damage. Therefore, if our circumstances changed we may never have to  truly face that unforgiveness in our heart.

God’s people were given 44 prophecies about the birth, life, work, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus – to give them hope. The hope that came into our world the night Jesus was born was so much richer than hoping for changed circumstances. He didn’t come to overthrow the Roman government, and He didn’t come to overthrow our complacent husbands.

Are you weary? Are you rejoicing this time of year? Focus on the One who rejoices over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17) and discover true hope.