Even Though Today Looks Bleak, Don’t Lose Hope
Even Though is the only song on The Bravest Thing EP that wasn’t written specifically for my memoir, Walking Through Fire. Christa wrote it years earlier, echoing a fundamental principle that has upheld me through the worst of times. It is the firm conviction that no matter what happens, God will never leave us.
The chorus says:
Even though we lose it all
We'll not be lost, we'll not be lost
Behold, this love of God
Has ransomed us, he's ransomed us
Even though
My post, What If the Worst Happens, was based on a short devotion that my friend Florence once gave in our church Bible study. She talked about all the ‘what if’ questions in the Bible, and how we continue to ask ‘what if’ about all the unknowns in our lives. We imagine the worst and yet the Lord invites us not to ask, “What if the worst happens?” but rather to declare, “Even if the worst happens, God will be sufficient.” This song beautifully reminds us of three things we can do when life feels desperate.
Remember God is with us in suffering
Christa sings in Even Though that no one is free from suffering. Whether it be losing a loved one, a job or a dream, we will all suffer in this life. It is inescapable. We may have seasons or perhaps decades with a reprieve, but no one has a pain-free life. Nor would we want to. Suffering refines our character, makes us long for heaven, and deepens our faith.
But the greatest gift of suffering is God himself. While God is with us all the time, in suffering we often sense his presence more clearly. We find that he does supply all our needs (Philippians 4:13) and realize he will never fail us or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
Focus on today
Wondering what’s going to happen in the future is often the source of our greatest fears. We know that God is providing for us today, but we wonder about tomorrow. Will we have what we need? Will things get worse? Will we be left alone, helpless and unprotected? We consider the worst-case scenario and feel hopelessness creep over us, robbing us of peace and joy today.
We can’t know what will happen tomorrow, but the Bible urges us to focus on today. We have his grace today. God is with us today. He is providing all that we need today. Tomorrow has enough trouble of its own (Matthew 6:34). When we are more focused on what we might lose tomorrow than on celebrating what we have today, we lose any chance of joy.
Trust that even though we lose it all, we’ll not be lost
The worst could happen to any of us at any time. We are all one phone call or one doctors’ appointment away from tragedy. While none of us know what tomorrow will bring, we can trust that God will give us everything that we need. His love will surround us. He will strengthen us and help us. His promises are certain. We will not walk alone.
Rather than wondering what we’ll do if the worst happens, we can declare that even if the worst happens, God will provide for us. All of us are invincible until our work on earth is done. Joy is possible in sorrow, it’s possible when everything is falling apart, it’s possible when all we see is loss. Joy is possible because God is faithful. As Habakkuk reminds us, though everything around us looks desolate and broken, we can still rejoice in the Lord who can give us joy even in the wilderness (Habakkuk 3:17-18).
I don’t know what the future holds for you or for me. It may harder than I anticipate or it may hold unbridled joy. Or perhaps both. But regardless, it holds Jesus who holds me. Thankfully, our faith isn’t about us holding onto Jesus. It is about the blood bought promise that Jesus holds on to us.
So when we are afraid of what the future holds, rather than give in to fear, we can declare: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling” (Psalm 46:1-3).
Even though we lose it all, we’ll not be lost.