The Daily: Saturday December 13, 2025

"Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, 'Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, they  will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.'"
Isaiah 35:3-4

Hope That Trembles Is Still Hope

There's something beautiful about trembling hope - hope that shakes with uncertainty yet refuses to let go. Many of us carry this kind of hope. We believe, but our belief wavers. We trust, but our trust feels fragile. We hope, but our hope trembles in the face of overwhelming circumstances. This trembling doesn't disqualify our hope; it makes it more precious. Trembling hope is honest hope. It acknowledges the reality of our struggles while still choosing to believe that God is at work. It admits that we can't see the full picture while still trusting that there is a bigger story being written. It confesses that we feel small and overwhelmed while still participating in God's work of healing and restoration.

Hope is not just a feeling we wait to experience - it's something we actively do. We practice hope when we choose kindness in a cruel world. We do hope when we persist in working for justice even when progress feels impossibly slow. We embody hope when we love people who are difficult to love and when we refuse to give up on relationships that seem broken. Your trembling hope matters. It may feel small and inadequate compared to the magnitude of the world's problems, but it's enough. Hope is always outmatched by the challenges we face, but hope is sufficient for the work God has given us to do.

Reflection
In what areas of your life do you need to embrace the truth that trembling hope is still valid and valuable hope?

Prayer
God, thank you for accepting my trembling hope and using it for your purposes. Help me to see that my small acts of faith and love matter, even when they feel insignificant. Give me strength to keep hoping and acting in hope, even when I can't see the results. Amen.