Despair for Hope

Focus Statement

Friends, faith sustains us through life’s storms,

revealing God’s strength in our weakest moments.

Point of Relation

During the pandemic,

I led a church through tumultuous times.

I obviously don’t know what the situation was like here,

But our church was divided politically and int terms of whether the church should stay open or closed.

I opted to do the responsible thing and we shifted to online worship during the worst of the pandemic.

Which, of course, caused me much grief in terms of the people who disagreed.

Depression and anxiety weighed heavily,

Almsot consuming me at points.

But I can say that support did emerge -

a mentor, my family, a few friends, and…most importantly…

God stood by me.

As we returned to normalcy,

the church’s exposed cracks remained,

but I had grown stronger.

I learned to lead despite self-doubt and criticism,

a crucial lesson for any leader.

My faith became my foundation,

providing strength I never knew I had.

Let me say this:

to those facing their own storms: cling to God.

Life’s challenges are inevitable, but with Jesus,

they become conquerable.

In Christ, we find strength beyond imagination,

turning trials into triumphs.

Things to Consider

As Advent dawns,

we face our own mountains of holiday stress.

Perfect celebrations feel impossible,

joy dimmed by financial strain or unmet expectations.

Family gatherings may reopen old wounds,

while shortened days bring seasonal depression for some (myself included)…

And, others find solitude amplified by images of togetherness.

Yet, like shepherds on Christmas night were startled by a celestial light,

hope can appear unexpectedly in our darkest moments.

Their journey from fear to joy

mirrors our potential transformation.

This season, let’s acknowledge our full range of emotions.

In doing so, we open ourselves to authentic connection -

with ourselves, others, and the divine presence that keeps us through every hill and valley.

What Scripture Says

Psalm 121 gleams like dawn’s first light on the horizon.

The psalmist’s gaze lifts to the hills,

seeking help in darkness.

The answer resounds:

help comes from God, creator of all, source of light.

This ascent song portrays God as the sleepless watchman.

Like the faithful rising sun,

God’s vigilance never wavers.

The Lord shades by day, guides by night, spanning life’s entirety.

The psalm’s structure echoes the sky’s gradual brightening.

Each verse builds higher, closer to breaking dawn.

A personal whisper grows to a chorus of blessing as light spreads.

“The Lord will keep” -

a beacon repeated six times.

The Hebrew “shamar” - to guard, to protect -

promises unwavering divine attention.

Luke’s nativity story mirrors this. In Luke 1:8-14,

shepherds in night fields witness an angel,

God’s glory piercing darkness.

The proclamation - “Fear not. I bring good news of great joy” -

breaks like dawn through a long night of waiting.

From the psalmist’s hills to the shepherds’ fields,

from first pre-dawn step to full daylight stride,

God’s presence endures.

These words assure: even in darkest hours,

divine love’s light breaks through,

heralding hope’s new day.

What This Means for You

In your personal valleys of despair,

remember the psalmist’s gaze and the shepherds’ awe.

Your help, like theirs, comes from the Creator of dawn itself.

When shadows lengthen and hope seems distant, lift your eyes.

The hills of your life - obstacles, challenges, fears - are under God’s care.

In sleepless nights of worry,

recall the vigilant God who neither slumbers nor sleeps.

In scorching days of trial,

seek the shade of divine protection.

Your journey, from first tentative step to confident stride, is watched over.

This Advent, as we await the light, consider:

Where do you need God’s keeping?

In what dark corners of your life do you long for dawn to break?

Reach out - to God, to others - for in connection,

hope often sparks.

And look around - who in your life needs a glimmer of hope?

Be that first ray of dawn for them, reflecting God’s unfailing love.

What This Means for Us

As a community, we stand on the cusp of dawn,

collectively holding our breath in the pre-light stillness.

Our individual struggles weave together,

forming a tapestry of shared human experience.

In this Advent season, we’re called to be keepers of hope for one another.

Let’s create spaces where despair can be voiced without judgment,

where burdens can be shared and lightened.

As a congregation, we can continue to offer meals that nourish more than bodies,

educational opportunities that plant seeds of resilience,

and support and build up ministries and support groups that remind us we’re not alone in the dark.

Together, we can be the hills that offer refuge,

the watchmen that stand guard through the night.

In our going out and coming in,

in our rising and our resting,

let us embody the unwavering presence of God for each other.

For in our connection, in our compassion,

we become living testaments to the transformative power of grace.

As we journey through this Advent,

may we move as one body from despair to hope,

from darkness to light,

always remembering that the dawn of God’s love breaks anew each day,

in each heart, in each act of kindness.

Amen? Amen.

Written by Rev. Todd R. Lattig with the assistance of Perplexity AI, based on a series developed by GNJUMC’s Breakthrough: https://breakthroughseries.org/.