Waiting in Hope 

By Melissa Abello, Columbia, Missouri, USA

Scripture Reading:

• Lamentations 3:1-26
• Psalm 71:1-14
• Romans 15:4

HOPE. It means to cherish a desire that you want to come true. To anticipate something eagerly. To have hope is to trust and believe that something will happen despite all odds. Hope is vulnerable and yet also incredibly scary. Hope puts your heart on the line, especially when it is waiting. 

It is amazing how, when we made Jesus Lord, it felt like that was everything. We didn’t think we’d ask God for anything more. He was enough. But at some point, desires crept in. Perhaps it was longing for a husband, a home, a child, or simply good mental and physical health—for ourselves and our loved ones. You might’ve asked to have enough to pay the bills. You dreamt, asked, prayed, begged, cried, and anguished over all of these things, all while wondering where God is in it all. 

You know He’s there, but why does it feel like He is silent? Maybe you try to dig your way out of that space—you pray and read more, yet you still feel stuck. You’re unsure if or even how God wants you to hope. Perhaps you’re among those who feel overwhelmed and give up on prayer altogether. You withdraw, feeling exhausted from trying so hard but not seeing any change, now just going through the motions without feeling connected.

I do not know about you, but waiting and hoping can be incredibly challenging. Waiting is hard, and hoping is vulnerable. And this goes for anything—not just the big life things. I've found myself grappling with these sentiments repeatedly over the past seven years. 

Many are aware of my journey through infertility, navigating the tumultuous cycle of waiting, hoping, enduring loss, and celebrating victories. For those unfamiliar, seven years ago, I had a daughter named Naomi, who, tragically, passed away shortly after birth. Soon after, my husband and I discovered that we carry a rare, lethal genetic condition. 

This propelled us toward pursuing IVF, leading to the birth of our precious daughter, Ruth—a true blessing and miracle in our lives. However, we also experienced the heartbreak of a twin miscarriage. Despite our efforts to conceive, I find myself repeating prayers, grieving not just the losses but also the dreams I had for our family by now. Wrestling with God in this waiting space has led me to ponder where my hope truly resides. There’s a scripture that resonates deeply with me in this journey:

“I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.  I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fails. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”
Lamentations 3:19-24

Jeremiah was writing in Lamentations in response to Israel’s destruction. We can learn a lot about finding our way to hope in waiting from the words here:

“I remember my affliction” — He took time to think about His pain

“My soul was downcast within me” — He let himself feel downcast

“I call this to mind”— He intentionally spent time to think

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassion NEVER FAILS.” — He thinks specifically of God’s love and compassion in His life

“New every morning” — He recognizes this is true every day 

“Great is your faithfulness” — He spends time praising God

“Therefore, I will wait” — All of this helps Him wait

This feels like a recipe for hope amidst waiting and suffering. We start by acknowledging our pain, allowing ourselves to truly feel it. Then, we deliberately recall who God is, His unwavering love, and how He’s been present in our lives. This practice allows us to praise Him and to hope in His love even while suffering. I've personally had to discover where my hope should reside—is it in my circumstances or in the God who oversees those circumstances?

Questions for Reflection

Your turn—take time to write the answers to these down: 

1. What are your afflictions? 
2. How do they make you feel? 
3. How has God’s love been made known to you this week? 

Today I will

• Spend some time praising God for the ways in which He has been there every day.
• Be still for 5 minutes with Him. Do not say anything; just listen and feel.  

I pray He will comfort you and give you hope in the same way Jeremiah found hope.

About the Author

Melissa Abello lives in Columbia, Missouri, USA, and has been a disciple for 17 years. She has been married to her husband, Janus, for 11 years. They are parents to an angel named Naomi and their daughter Ruth who is 4. Melissa and Janus serve in the full-time ministry in Columbia. The church in Columbia, as well as the campus ministry there, are very special to them. In addition to her role in the ministry, Melissa is a licensed mental health professional and supervisor. She specializes in sex therapy and walking with married couples.