Dark and Desolate Places of Hope
Great verses to reflect on... which I may do later. For now, simply read, consider, and enjoy.
Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. (Psa 62:5 NLT)
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. (Mar 1:35 ESV)
Even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. But Jesus would withdraw to desolate places and pray. (Luk 5:15-16 ESV)
Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. (Psa 62:5 NLT)
We are, truly, hearts and souls and minds and strengths, all woven together to be a kind of basket designed to hold delight in God.
Loving others well will involve a new perspective on them and new practices in our relationship.
Jesus is our goal, He embodies what we would wish for ourselves, and all we hope for comes to us in Him.
How do we direct properly loving actions toward ourselves? What is “biblical self-care”?
How do we love ourselves in the way Jesus intended when He said, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”?
It’s important to understand that when we talk about loving ourselves, it is always connected to, grows from, and grows toward, our love for God.
On the one hand, gratitude is everywhere praised in Scripture, and we know that we have more to be thankful for than anyone. On the other hand, we all still struggle with “the love of the world and the things in the world.”
God’s love is proper and true. His love is not cheap self-care hacks, or unhealthy self-absorption. His love is healing, hope-giving, good and right.