“It is because of the Lord’s loving kindnesses that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great and beyond measure is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

Have you ever had a dark day – just dark? Last week I woke up with the heaviest heart you can imagine. The figurative dark cloud over me felt ominous. I’d had nightmares during the night, so I woke with an unsettled sense in my spirit. My little girl was recovering from a nasty bug that weighed on my momma-heart. From “go,” I was behind, and I was cranky. Anxiety grabbed at me, and gloom felt very much at home. Uncomfortable in my skin and in my prickly emotions, I plodded through the day. There are days you hope never end, and others you crawl toward the finish line. It was dark. Thankfully not soul-shattering dark, but shady, nonetheless.

Insert hope! One sleep later, the ominous veil lifted, and the emotional skies were clear. My energy and mood soared. Health reined, and my body felt familiar and comfortable. There was a lightness that for the life of me one moment earlier I could not tap. What a difference a day made! There’s a daily application of hope, isn’t there? Hope that tomorrow will be bright and made right.

Today, I want to speak that word of hope into weary, heavy hearts. If today feels heavy, and joy seems nonexistent, hope. If your body feels like a prison, you yearn to escape, and every form of fashion only intensifies the discomfort. Hope. If you’re exhausted, unhappy, apprehensive, or alone, hope. There is a spiritual switch accessible through prayer and by the Holy Spirit. There are fresh mercies available to us that reach far beyond our understanding. There is renewal made complete in mere hours of rest. It’s a puzzling but undeniable truth. If today feels desperate, hang on to hope. Our mighty God rewrites scripts in the blink of an eye. Hold on, sister, pray and supernaturally know what a difference a day makes! Shalom to your soul today.