CLINGING TO HOPE
DEVOTIONAL #4
THE SUN COMES UP ANYWAY
It seems one of the strangest moments following devastating loss is dawn. The sun rises as if nothing out of the ordinary happened. Birds chirp. Coffee brews. Someone laughs. The world seems painfully normal.
And there you are thinking, How can it be morning? The grief is fresh, yet the world awakens as though nothing happened. There is something almost offensive about the sunrise when your heart is broken.
And yet Scripture says God’s mercies are new every morning. Notice, it doesn’t say your feelings are new. It says His mercies are new.
You may not feel hopeful at sunrise. You may not feel rested. You may not even feel human. But mercy still rises. It rises quietly. It waits patiently. It doesn’t force joy; it simply offers presence.
You don’t have to match the brightness of the day. You don’t have to be strong because the sun came up. If all you can do is make coffee and sit still, that’s enough for right now.
Morning does not mean you are “over it.” Morning means you survived the night. And that matters. Grief is not erased by daylight. But daylight reminds us of something profound: even the longest, darkest night eventually gives way to light. You may not see it yet. You may not believe it fully. But hope has a rhythm built into creation itself.
Darkness does not get the final word. Light returns. Every single time.
“The Lord ’s acts of mercy indeed do not end, for His compassions do not fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23
CLING TO HOPE TAKEAWAY: Receive God’s new mercy for just this morning.
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AUSTIN’S CABIN
CHAPTER EIGHT
WOULDA, COULDA SHOULDA
Watch out for the trap of regret. Here’s a megaphone shout to move forward.
Regret and Reflection
We all have regrets and missed chances in life. Sorry, but they’re unavoidable. We just don’t live in a perfect world, have you noticed?
It’s natural, even healthy, to look back and reflect. But if we linger too long in the past, reflection turns into paralysis. I’ve met people whose emotions got stuck along their journey. At first, when they begin to talk, it sounds like they’re sharing something that happened last week or last month. But as the details keep spilling out, every little moment, every word, you suddenly realize they’re describing events from twenty or thirty years ago. They live in a loop of pain and disappointment. It’s awkward, heartbreaking, and worst of all, they don’t even realize it.
Let’s not do that.
Moving Forward
We cannot change the past, but we can shape the future. Yesterday is set in stone, but tomorrow offers wide-open choices. As the song says: “Let it go, let it go!”
So once again, let’s flip negatives into positives and lies into truths:
Woulda says: I would have done it if I had the chance.
We say: That chance may be gone, but new opportunities are on the horizon.
Coulda says: I could have done better if only I’d tried harder.
We say: Life isn’t over. I’m going to keep giving my best.
Shoulda says: I should have done things much differently.
We say: I’ve learned valuable lessons that will guide me moving forward.
As time marches on, we must look back less and press forward more. Transformation waits ahead, not behind. Of course, most of us wish we had done some things differently, but wishes don’t heal broken hearts. Hope does.
During seasons of loss, self-condemnation only deepens the pain. Beating ourselves up never brings healing. Instead, we must choose self-care, gentleness, and grace. When we stop revisiting Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda, we stop prolonging our suffering.
As a mother, I did my best. I chose to love unconditionally. My regrets taught me to hope for a future where I share more compassion, empathy, sympathy, and kindness. I’ve learned the beauty of helping instead of fixing, listening instead of judging.
We can’t go back; sometimes there are no do-overs in life … or death. But we can lay down the burden of regret. When the time comes to move on, you will know, and allow Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda to lose their grip. We press forward with open hearts, courage, and hope.
Finding Purpose in Pain
Of course, we’d all like to avoid suffering if we could. We value our safety zones and creature comforts. But pain is unavoidable, so the only healthy response is to face it with courage.
The good news? When we process grief and trauma with support, we often emerge stronger than before. It’s like running a marathon, building spiritual and emotional muscles as we go. Early on, it may seem impossible to believe, but healing proves it true.
When I walked through the valley of darkness, I felt like I lost myself. Later, I realized I had to meet the “new me.” That new me found purpose in the pain, and so can you. If I were a betting woman (which I’m not), I’d bet a million dollars that you too can find meaning in your suffering.
The Power of Support
Build your support network, whether large or small; go for it. Healing alone is almost impossible. Join a local group, share your struggles with counselors, friends, or family. Read, write, walk, and pray as you climb out of the valley of darkness.
When we make it all the way through, we can walk alongside others facing similar struggles. We carry more empathy, grace, and love. We can learn to appreciate life more, deepen our perspective, and ask: What’s truly valuable? How do I really want to spend the rest of my time on earth? Do I know where I’ll spend eternity?
When life forges us in fire, we develop tenacity. Let’s not let the “what if ’s” blind us to “what is.” Right here, right now, what’s in your hand that can begin to mold and shape your future, your new normal?
Choosing Hope
Your grief does not define you, and healing is a journey. Be patient with yourself and others. Remember: Seeking help shows strength, not weakness. I will never apologize for my deep feelings of grief. Even as a seasoned Christian I knew I had a broken heart that only God could heal. Even Jesus wept. ( John 11:35).
Peace exists, and if you haven’t found it yet, you’re on the way. As we lay down regrets and move forward with hope, we discover the power of words. They can chain us to the past or launch us into the future. They can wound or heal, tear down or build up, speak death…Or speak life.
KEY TAKEAWAY: Don’t let Woulda, Coulda, Shoulda define your past, let them inspire your future.
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