Languishing

Suffer from being forced to remain in an unpleasant place or situation

Hope

The confident expectation of what God has promised and his faithfulness to keep his promises.

Matthew 1:18

This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 1:19

Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

Matthew 1:20

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 1:21–23

And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet: “Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel, which means ‘God is with us.’ ”

“Do I trust God or not?”

Matthew 1:24–25

When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife…. And Joseph named him Jesus.

Something doesn’t have to be your fault to be your responsibility.

Shame.

Shame from a bad decision you made. 

Shame from a bad decision someone else made. 

I find guilt can be helpful at times in my life but shame never is.

Guilt is about the what.

Shame is about the who. 

Guilt says, “What I did was bad.” 

Shame says, “I am bad.” 

Hebrews 12:1-2

And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.

1 John 1:9

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

Promise of perception—I see you.

Isaiah 40:27-31

O Jacob, how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles? . . . Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. . . No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless. . .. . .those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. 

“Do I trust God or not?”

John 1:29

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!