See, I\u2019ve come to understand how my faith has been instrumental in my living well. \u00a0I don\u2019t do wishful thinking kind of hope. \u00a0Instead, I do Romans\u00a08:28\u00a0hope. \u00a0In other words, as I go through difficulties (and th<\/em>ere are plenty of them<\/em>) I recognize them, feel the feelings because I know that the Lord will take all of the pain and make it work for my good. It doesn\u2019t mean that all of a sudden things become easy. \u00a0But I\u2019m able to move through the pain, knowing how it will end.<\/p>\n The Lord is the real hope. \u00a0The Father sent His Son into our messy world to redeem us. \u00a0Born right in the midst of the stench of that stable,He came. \u00a0And on that cross, He died for you and me. Out of what appeared to be a hopeless beginning and an even more hopeless death on the cross, He rose as proof that He is indeed our sure and certain hope.<\/p>\n![\"img_6604\"](\"https:\/\/pastorbraddotblog.files.wordpress.com\/2017\/02\/img_6604.jpg\")
So what is this \u201creal\u201d hope that got me through and continues to get me through living life with bipolar disorder? \u00a0It\u2019s the Real Hope that was born and died on the cross and His promise. \u00a0In particular, it is the promise of Romans\u00a08:28\u00a0that has gotten me through the many incredibly painful events that could have easily led to the bottomless pit of hopelessness. In Romans\u00a08:28\u00a0the apostle Paul tells us that the Lord will work all things together for our good. \u00a0As a person of faith, I believe this. \u00a0Knowing and believing this real hope does not mean that I stuff my feelings. \u00a0Rather, it means that as I feel my feelings I\u2019m able to work through them and deal with them because I know<\/em> that He will take even the worst of life\u2019s trials and tribulations and make them work together for me for my good. \u00a0That\u2019s hope. That\u2019s real.<\/p>\n