Have you ever seen the flower that magicians use? One second your watching the show unfold, the next there’s a flower. An unexpected, but beautiful flower. But then, someone goes to take that beautiful flower, and it suddenly squirts them in the eye. You see, those fake flowers represent hopelessness. One second you’re laughing, having a good time, and then life comes, hands you something you weren’t expecting, and it leaves you feeling hopeless. 

All shapes and sizes

Whether in your circumstances, life, marriage, etc, hopelessness comes like people, in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes you recognize it, and sometimes you don’t. Now it’s those times you don’t that it can do real damage. Let me explain. The other day, I was feeling pretty discouraged. One simple thought of how it’s been almost 5 years of waiting for things to change, turns into days of despair. So what happened? What happened was that I didn’t recognize the thought of hopelessness. The enemy laid a snare, wrapped it in a flower, and it squirted me in the eye. Figuratively, of course! You see, we’re human. I know, crazy right?! We make mistakes, we’re complicated at times, and we mess up. And sometimes, we don’t even know that we’ve messed up, until we’re sitting in a corner crying because we’re in despair, wondering why things have been wrong for so long, and thinking about ways to fix it ourselves. When in actuality, we can’t. But guess Who can? God can. We need to learn to recognize those thoughts that may seem so innocent, but are actually snares or false flowers.

 

 

Small thoughts matter

Even that one, small little thought, can lead you down a road that we are not meant to go. And Hopelessness, it’s nothing but the acceptance of defeat. It’s saying that you don’t believe that things will change, and worse yet, it’s not trusting God to fix things. Our tears can be rooted in pain, but make sure that they are not rooted in doubt, because if they are, you may not even realize it through all of your despair, but tears of doubt are tears of mistrust. We need to trust God enough to say if I’m here in this moment, then You’ve allowed it, and if You’ve allowed it, then You have a purpose for it, a good purpose, and then surrendering to that purpose, even when it’s difficult to do so. It’s trusting God to strengthen you during that wait, just as David did in 1 Samuel. Here, David is in despair, his wives kidnapped, and people wanting to stone him, yet what he chose to do in those circumstances made all the difference. 

Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

I Samuel 30:6 NKJV

Here we see that David wasn’t just distressed, but greatly distressed. But he chose to strengthen himself in the Lord his God.

I know broken

 You see, sometimes the enemy hands you a false set of flowers, AKA a snare, and sometimes, we fall for it. Because as I mentioned before, we’re human. We take that hopelessness from the enemy because it’s wrapped up in a pretty bow, not realizing the damage that just one thought can do. That snare, that thought looked so small, but deflated you, it made you feel defeated, but God. God comes and repairs you as only God can do. Because the truth is, God is faithful, and He knows how to fix broken. And trust me, I know broken. But I also know repair, and I also know hope. No one is ever too broken beyond repair, or too damaged to be set free. Because as we are told in John 8:36, Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. Jesus is the Author and Physician of all that we are. In Him we live and have our being, and in Him we find rest.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30 NIV

Careful steps

We have to be careful with our words and our thoughts, as just one simple thought can lead to chaos. All of our thoughts should be run through the Holy Spirit. He’s like a strainer that separates the good from the bad. We can trust Him and rely on Him to help us see when the enemy is handing us those false flowers, and to reject them before they figuratively squirt us in the eyes, clouding our vision with hopelessness and despair. We need to remain alert and of sober mind, knowing that all it takes is a simple and seemingly innocent thought, to fall into a pit of despair. The easiest way to remember how to separate those thoughts is this. 

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

Philippians 4:8

If only…

If only I had taken my thought from earlier, and ran it against the scripture above, because then I would have noticed that it was a thought that didn’t come from God. This seemed like a harmless thought. A thought that was simply how long I’ve been waiting for things to change. But if run against the scripture, I would have realized that it wasn’t a good or praiseworthy thought. There is nothing praiseworthy about meditating on how long you’ve been in a hard situation. Instead, I should have taken that thought and ended it with, but I know God will come through in His timing, and not mine. I trust Him.

Be mindful of your thoughts

So as you go about your day today, be mindful of your thoughts. Measure them up to the scripture above, and make sure that you are relying on the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the thoughts that don’t coincide with what we as believers should be thinking. And remember, trust God. He made you. Surely He knows exactly how to take care of you.

Pray with me

Dear God, please help me to be able to distinguish the good thoughts from the bad thoughts. Relying on the beautiful Holy Spirit that You have indwelt me with, to lead the way in all things in my life, regardless of my feelings. Give me ears to hear and eyes to see, always being receptive to that sometimes small still voice. Knowing that You alone are my source of hope, and my source of strength. When I feel despair Lord, help me to do just as David did, and strengthen myself in You God. My One true source of strength.

In Jesus name I pray, amen.

P.s. Thank You God for your faithfulness. 

• July 2025