Day 2478 of the 7 day Bible verse challenge.

Psalm 112:4 NIV

I'm thankful for hope. It's this constant in life that nothing we face can ever really take away. It's this idea that something better is still ahead even in the midst of the worst, most uncomfortable, and unfortunate circumstances. It's knowing that God is still on the throne, and that as long as our hearts are set on Him, His plans and promises cannot be undone or taken away.

That's something that's easy to forget in this place. It's easy to forget that something better is still to come because it seems like so many bad things keep happening. It's hard to imagine that everything is going to work out when it seems that everything is falling apart. It's hard to fathom how all these problems we're seeing and experiencing can be fixed when it seems like so few are willing to try to fix them. It's hard to understand how so much bad can lead to anything but more bad. We're surrounded by so much darkness, so much negativity that it can seem like that's all there is.

That's what darkness does. It brings with it this fear of being out of control. We can’t control what’s going on if we can’t see it or understand it. And that’s uncomfortable. Not being able to see what's coming or understand what's going on is an uncomfortable feeling. And for those who are following Christ through a world that's headed deeper into the darkness of sin, that's what we're feeling. We're feeling confused, alarmed, frustrated, even angry. We see so much darkness and just don't understand it.

We see the world continuing to fall apart and head further in the wrong direction. We see the celebration of sin continue to grow as the willingness to listen to the truth grows more rare. We see the darkness continue to grow and close in around us. There are so many days where it seems that the odds are only stacking up higher and higher against us who are fighting the good fight and trying to do things right. But friends, the darkness won't win.

We can't afford to give up or lay down. Yeah, there are going to be plenty of days that get chalked up for sin and evil. There are going to be plenty of battles we lose along the way. Our world loves the dark. Our world loves sin. And that's only going to grow as we get closer to the return of our King. But He is coming. His ultimate victory is already sealed. Darkness has already been defeated. So while it may seem at times that we're fighting a losing fight, we're not. We're on the side that will make a difference, and we can't stop trying no matter how slim our chances may seem.

Friends, just a little while longer. Just a little further. The dawn is coming and the darkness around us will be sent running. As long as we're following Christ and living in His light, the dark can't force us to live in fear. It can't change who He is or what He's promised to those who have their eyes fixed on Him and their hearts set on doing the best they can to do what's right. We are just in a place where we no longer have a place. So all we can do is keep going until He finally takes us where we really belong.

So just keep going. Keep trying. Keep being the good that you want to see around you. It matters. It is making a difference. And when all is said and done and this world and all its wickedness has passed away, we will see that our desire to serve Christ and to do what’s good made a bigger impact than we may be able to see while we’re living these lives in this very dark world.

#LeaveNoSoulUntold