Our mistakes and failure of the past do not have to define us. We can choose to be who God says we are. Every one of us has something in our past that is less than admirable. We have all been branded, either through reputation or conscience, with some haunting memory of our old sins.
Published on Jan 30 @ 3:39 AM EDT
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Pray | Fast | Meditate
Becoming a Better You | Marlin D. Harris
Welcome to our 31-Day Corporate Fast.
In 1988, I was 15 years old, sitting on a plane flying from Oklahoma to Seoul, South Korea. I felt that I was leaving more than a country but leaving my entire concept of normalcy and certainty. I was going from the world I knew to a world that I was completely unprepared to face. My father had received military orders to move from Ft. Drum, New York, and for the next 3 years, live in Taegu, South Korea. Now, this is not uncommon. Military families travel across the globe to new duty stations all the time and often make wonderful and amazing memories and experiences while living in a foreign country. But that was precisely the problem – we were certainly not a family, and this was most definitely not promising to be an amazing memory. My stepmother was a non-functioning alcoholic, and my father was a functioning one. I was placed in their home because my home of origin had become too unstable and abusive for me to live in. I was traveling 5,000 miles away from what I had come to know as normal, with people that I had just met less than 9 months ago. I sat on that plane believing that I was leaving one disaster and heading into another one. Nothing could have convinced me that day that this one experience would have so deeply changed my life and so firmly established my faith and confidence in God.
RESOURCES
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KEEP HOPE ALIVE
"But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those
who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.”
Thessalonians 4:13 (NKJV)
My dad had a “good death.” Wait—what? Let me explain.
In 2019, my dad was diagnosed with cancer. He underwent major surgery
and chemotherapy, and by early 2020, we were told he was clear. But only
a week later, we received the news: his numbers had gone up, indicating
metastasis. Surgery was no longer an option. He tried another round of
chemotherapy, but it didn’t work. When we asked what God was saying to
him, his answer was simple yet profound: “He said He is with me.”
After an unsuccessful procedure that brought no relief, my dad made
the decision—with our full support—to stop treatment. We brought him
home, moved his bed to the first floor, and made the space as comfortable
as possible. Friends and family came to visit. His best friend shared her
favorite Scripture with him, and he responded by offering her a fresh
interpretation of it. Even the hospice nurse, touched by his faith, listened
as he shared Bible wisdom with her.
The night before he passed, my sisters found him on his knees praying,
though he no longer recognized us. He knew to pray. When his breathing
changed, I sat by his side, reading Psalms aloud as hymns played softly in
the background. Family surrounded him, hands resting on him in love and
prayer. As I continued reading, he stopped breathing.
He passed away exactly as he had wanted to: at home, surrounded by
those he loved. Though we grieved, we were comforted by the assurance
of where he was and ‘Whom’ he was with.
THE ASSURANCE OF HOPE
God’s hope is not wishful thinking. It’s not a gamble or a fleeting desire.
God’s hope is a confident expectation, an assurance that we can trust
completely.
I miss my dad every day. There are moments when I want to share
something with him or ask for his advice. When those waves of grief come,
I take a deep breath and remember today’s scripture. Death was not the
end for my dad, and it is not the end for your loved one who died in Christ.
Scripture urges us to use this hope as a source of comfort. Paul reminds
us in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 that we do not grieve as those who have
no hope. Our ultimate reality is eternity with God and the reunion with
those we love. My present reality is that I miss my dad, but my hopeful
expectation is bright.
Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for.
Hope, then, is the forward-looking element of our faith. The Greek word
for hope, elpizo, means confident expectation. While there are few things
in this world we can truly count on, with God, hope is - guaranteed.
THE SOURCE OF HOPE
Hope originates with God. Psalm 12:5 and Romans 15:13 affirm that He
alone has the power to give hope. Through His Word, we see His promises
and are reminded that Christ’s sacrifice secured those promises for us
(Romans 15:4).
This hope is not something we earn—it’s a gift. Ephesians 2:12 explains
that because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we are no longer separated
from God. We can rest in His grace (2 Thessalonians 2:16), and by living a
Spirit-filled life, we find hope overflowing within us (Romans 15:13).
THE POWER OF HOPE
Hope changes everything. It gives us joy and peace even in the midst of
grief. It strengthens us to face each day without our loved ones and equips
us with the endurance to carry on.
This hope also empowers us to minister to others. Like Paul, we can
comfort those in sorrow with the comfort we’ve received. As a doctor, I
now relate to patients and grieving families on a much deeper level. Hope
has given me the strength to continue this ministry.
Lastly, hope guards us against despair. In the face of death, hope shields
our hearts, reminding us that this life is not all there is. Charles Spurgeon
once said, “Hope itself is like a star—not to be seen in the sunshine of
prosperity, but only to be discovered in the night of adversity.”
Hope doesn’t erase grief, but it transforms it. It points us toward a future
where all things are made new, where tears are wiped away, and where we
will forever be in the presence of God.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of hope that sustains us in our grief.
Thank You for the assurance that death is not the end and that we will be
reunited with our loved ones in Christ. Fill our hearts with joy and peace
as we trust in Your promises. May this hope strengthen us to face each
day and encourage others along the way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE
Reflect on your journey with hope. Write down moments when God’s
promises have sustained you. Consider the people or events that have
deepened your confidence in Him.
If you are grieving, take time this week to write a letter to God. Share your
feelings honestly, then thank Him for the hope of eternity. Meditate on 1
Thessalonians 4:13–19 and let its truth settle in your heart: death is not
the end.
Published on Dec 19 @ 12:20 AM EDT
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