Hope in the Dry Times

We have those moments in life where the times seem so extensively hard to understand. We go through these times where its like, "What in the world is going on?" or "What is my problem? Why am I acting this way?" or "Why is this happening to me!?" We all go through these times where it seems we just can't comprehend everything that is going around us. As I have been in a season of this, I feel like I'm running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. I don't know why I am so "bleh", why I'm so tired all the time, and why I just don't feel like myself. Sure, everyone around me may think, "Jess, what are you saying? You seem your giddy, funny, perky, out-going self." Yeah, but I feel like I'm forcing it out. I feel like to be my normal self, its an effort now. Like I"m putting on this front. I don't believe God expects us, as a follower of Him, to walk around with a mask on, but neither does he expect us to walk around with our heads down and a droopy face. There is a major part of being real, but there is a major victory of HOPE. Yes, HOPE! The only thing that can get us through any hard time in our life. If you are going through a similar thing like me right now, not sure where you are going, what to expect, or what the heck is going on...its ok. Satan, ourselves, and society always expects us to have this "plan". Well, our plans suck if its not planned by God. The Lord says, "A man plans his course, but its the LORD who directs his steps." I do believe God does give us dreams and desires for us to have. For example, I so deeply desire to be a wife and a mom one day. Am I that right now at 25? No. Do I have days that I"m freaking out that I"m 25 and I'm not even dating anyone?! Absolutely. However, that is just all image-nonsense. However, in the meantime, He STILL plans for me. Yeah, I understand, its hard getting out of "the funk". Believe me, I'm going through it right now. However, deep down, amongst what lies may tell me, what I may feel, and how I compare myself to others, and a crazy hectic work schedule that sometimes I may feel consumed by, I have this amazing sense of joy that can only come from the Lord. That joy is my hope to get me through this time in my life. I don't have all the answers, and I certainly am NOT perfect. I'm trying to figure out the balance of life and how the Lord so desperately wants us to live life. But that is why I can not give up on hope. Hope that only comes from Jesus. He is the reason we have hope at all. We can't let life pass us by while we sink in this hole of, "Welp, nothing is going to change..this is it for me." or "I"m a loser..straight-up loser". No! If we believe that, then we don't believe in the power of Christ and what Hope he has brought us through His death and resurrection. Now, I'm not trying to get on my soapbox, this definitely goes for me, too. But we need to encourage each other to live in this hope because it is SO easily lost when trials come. So folks, lets persevere through these hard times. All truth is God' truth and in order to seek that truth, we must KNOW His Word. This will help us shred the lies that easily entangle us. Hang in there, guys. Hope is here! And it comes in the form of a Person...Jesus!