I Choose To Hope

"Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." ~ Psalm 43:5

“Nurse! Just send me back to my unit if you guys are not going to do anything! I will just file a grievance,” an irate female inmate yelled through the glass window.

She had been waiting in the Infirmary for hours before I got there that night. Yet, she was just seen by the jail doctor the previous day and earlier that day and many other times. She always complained of her heart hurting. That she needed to go to the hospital because of her heart condition. So upset that she was not seen by the cardiologist.

“Ma’am,” I approached the window as the charge nurse felt exhausted dealing with her. “I also had spoken with you earlier. I told you that the reason why they kept you so long here was because you kept complaining of chest pain. We did the EKG. It was normal. I called you in and took your vital signs and I showed you, that everything was normal. I just need you to understand that we can’t do anything at this point because there was no abnormal findings even when the doctor had seen you earlier. It doesn’t mean we don’t believe you. We are aware of your congenital heart problem. But you need to understand that it is a process when we refer you to the cardiologist. There is nothing life threatening that is happening right now with you and you had this condition since you were little.”

She didn’t know what to say. With those thousands of words that came out from me, I was feeling exhausted, too. And I only had dealt with her for an hour.

“You don’t understand. I need to go to the hospital! I need a cardiologist now!” she demanded.

“I would not keep repeating my explanations. We do understand that it is frustrating on your part. But you need to be patient. When a specific date and time comes back to us from the Cardiology department, they will just get you from your unit and bring you to the hospital,” I added.

She reached out her right hand below the glass partition window. I handed her yellow pass so she could go back to her unit. Shaking her head softly, feeling as if she had no more power to demand all she had wanted done her way, she surrendered. Her steps slowly retraced her prints she left earlier when she first walked in. Back to her cell.

“Lord! Lord! Why are our prayers not answered?” How often I demand God to explain things to me, too and when things don’t go the way I want it to go in my life. When my prayers seem unanswered as I see others and I struggling for physical healing, for provision of needs, for freedom from being imprisoned with many, many bondages. “Why God when You have the power to do so?” When He is truly bigger than any of these things! Often I see myself in complete surrender. That’s what needs to happen most of the time. To give me time to reflect on His true nature. That He is a God of love. That despite the circumstances around me, He is the One Who has the control not me. That I still must choose to have joy in my heart despite the trials and heartaches. That I must still choose to have hope despite things looking bleak at times. Because these awful times are what drive me to surrender to Him. And in those quiet times, in those quiet places, that’s where He usually meets me and softly explains to my heart the plans in my life. That it is a process. Not my way. But His. That there is Someone Who always intercedes for me. And I know, my prayers are being heard. Mine and yours. Yes, I must choose to hope Lord. I choose to still hope…Knowing Christ did die for me. Knowing Your plans give me hope and a future.

"For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." ~ Titus 2:11-14

21 comments:

  1. In Christ Alone
    When life is over that's the only thing that will count.
    I love that song.

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  2. In HIM ALONE we have ALL WE WILL EVER NEED!!! LOVE thIS SONG! I think I will be singing this all day now :)

    Love you and this post! We humans tend to DEMAND things on our own but it is in Christs ways that LIFE, Freedom, Healing, Forgiveness, Patience, Understanding all come .....I am thankful these inmates are able to see these things in you my friend !!! ♥

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  3. Oh, Rosel....this really hits home. So many times I demand answers and GOD is saying wait, listen, pray, and grow. I am often too busy whining and complaining to HIM. HE always knows best and has my best interest at the forefront of HIS decisions. Why can I not get that and quit acting so selfishly?
    Blessings, andrea

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  4. I just love this song! It is so anointed and brings His presence so real every time I hear it. In Christ alone!!!!!

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  5. Wonderful. I too find myself saying NOW LORD...but His plans and His timing.

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  6. I was on my knees earlier crying out to God for answers. I praise Him that He speaks to me through others, telling me that there is HOPE in my future.

    God bless you richly my friend.

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  7. Wonderful post!!! You are so right, we tend to want when we want and demand things our way. Life is so wonderful when we surrender all to Him and learn that He knows the plans He has for us and they will be fulfilled in His time. He has proven Himself over and over!! It is so wonderful to have all these blog friends who tend to say exactly what I need to hear. Love and Blessings, Angel

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  8. Thank God for hope! I don't know where I would be without it.

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  9. I choose to hope also sis, love you.

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  10. Rosel, I can relate -- not understanding WHY and WHEN -- wanting to demand my way. I'm sure I've done that before. God's mercy amazes me. He is so patient with us.

    Bless you friend!
    Beth

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  11. Oh Rosel I think we can all relate soo well to this. We all at one point or another have found ourselves on our knees BEGGING God to answer us right away or in the way we think is best. And yet, how much more He knows what is ultimately best for us. Thanks for posting all of this. It is a much needed reminder for me.
    ~ I chose to hope. HUGS AND BLESSINGS, Debbie

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  12. What a beautiful reminder today that He knows all. And yet how many times have I done the same thing? Demanded an answer. Demanded God do this NOW. Yelled and said "hey, I'm down here and I need some help." When He was right there all along. Answering in His time, in His way, knowing that I could only see part of the issue and knowing that I didn't and wouldn't understand. Help me Lord to always put my trust in You, my hope in You.

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  13. These bad things happened to you because I intend to work it together for your good (Romans 8).
    These happened so that you would rely more on God who raises the dead (2 Corinthians 1).
    This happened so that the gold and silver of your faith would be refined (1 Peter 1).
    This thorn is so that the power of Christ would be magnified in your weakness (2 Corinthians 12).

    God cannot make plain all he is doing, because there are millions and millions and millions and millions of effects of every event in our lives, the good and the bad. God guides them all. They all have micro purposes and macro purposes. He cannot tell us all of them because our brains can’t hold all of them.
    Trust does not demand more than God has told us. And he has given us immeasurably precious promises that he is in control of all things and only does good to his children. And he has given us a very thick book where we can read story after story after story about how he rules for the good of his people.

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  14. Rosel, Thank You for sharing... Through God all things ARE possible. Many Prayers for you my friend. I have missed you. Get a cup of coffee and relax when you can. Love you lots,

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  15. Hope.. a small word with a huge impact.

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  16. I know God is going to respond eventually, but sometimes He is so slow! It is at these times I realize how powerful He is. Have a wonderful, blessed day, my friend.

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  17. sometimes I wonder why He is taking so long....sometimes I have no patience to wait...many times - but then I go running and stand on the mountains and breathe in the air and know....He has forgotten. Great post..You have an awesome heart. Stay strong out there and safe..

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  18. I had never heard this song before and I love it!!! Beautiful tune... Beautiful words..
    I am waiting for God to give me an answer right now in my life... I have complete faith in Him... but I would really like an answer... I can very much relate to your post... I know His timing is perfect but knowing that does not necessarily make the wait any easier...

    Love to you my sister in Christ...
    Kelly
    Amazing Salvation

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  19. Rosel, You are so sweet to drop by my blog even when I've not felt so much like blogging. I don't know why these times come over me but having you visit gives me such a lift. Thank you. I love reading about your nights in the prison infirmary and how you handle things so well.

    Hugs,
    Jean

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  20. Even when we aren't demanding we need to come back to the cross and surrender all again sometimes. Will I remain loyal to Him even if He doesn't give what I am asking for in the same way my Tobi would if I didn't give her that cheese she wanted? "If He Wants Me To".

    Rich blessings to you my friend!

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  21. I am afraid I see myself there! Fortunately I am at the other end now and it is a much more pleasant place to be. My job is to trust and press on. Thanks for an insightful post.

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"Faith is taking the first step even if you don't see the whole staircase..."
~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

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