Monday, November 5, 2018


The Lesson: Joy & Hope
By Brita Crouse

“Be joyful in hope…”

Everyone has a story. Everyone has those defining moments where their world is changed and life as they know it is gone for good. These are the stories that contribute to who we are and how we see the world. This is my story, the story of how God taught me joy & hope, patience & suffering, and faith & prayer.

They say the best laid plans often go awry.

It’s true. You know what I mean? We plan and we plan, but ultimately it’s God’s plan that prevails.

I had it all figured out. I knew what was in store. I’m a planner, and I daily fulfill that personality trait. I had just graduated from high school; I was going to my first choice university to major in a field that I had dreamed about for years. I had best friends, one of whom would be my roommate. I was on top of the world.

The hope of an amazing future was right in front of me. The joy of pursuing my dreams, a new beginning and uncertain possibilities, was tangible.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” [1]

Do you have these moments too? Where you are so full of joy, you overflow with hope? When things are so perfectly laid out, it feels as if nothing could go wrong?

Yet God uses any and every circumstance to teach us. And He certainly taught me… right then and there - - when I was feeling invincible - - that His plans take precedence.

A week after graduation, my family reeled at the cancer diagnosis of one of our own. Shocking. The kind of shock that brings you to your knees. Yet, we remained full of hope. We rallied together as a family and a community, uncertain of what was to come, but taking joy in our time together.

These feelings of hope & joy remained and carried me through that summer. In the fall, with the encouragement of my parents, I stuck to my plans and began my freshman year of college, many miles and hours from home. I had the joy of rooming with my best friend and the hope of a fresh start, away from the cancerous situation at home.

How could I have known what the coming weeks and months would bring? God did. And He was preparing my heart to learn.

GOING DEEPER:
1.     What are you currently taking joy in? What are you hopeful for? How can you give thanks to God for these things?

FURTHER READING:

[1] Romans 15:13

Brita recently moved back to her home state of Wisconsin where she works as an Elementary School Counselor. She and her family have attended Oakwood for 20 years.