Laced With Grace – Christian Devotions

Hope vs Cope

By Ann Van Hine October 20, 2016 Devotion, Faith, Hope

Laurie in her post Cast your cares (October 13, 2016) so beautifully stated: “God does not want us to cope with our troubles, He said give it all to Him. The thing that I see happening whenever we try to cope is that we end up trying to accept things as they are or we try to hang on for as long as we can. Coping is like a rope; given enough weight or pressure, it WILL break or unravel. Coping is nothing but a rope, just waiting for things (us) to come unraveled.” What a great word picture. Laurie’s post resonated with me and reminded me of what God had taught me about the word “cope.”
“How are you coping?” was the question asked numerous times by friends, neighbors and even reporters after my husband’s line of duty death on September 11,2001 that same question in a slightly different form is still asked today. My response then and now is “I am not coping. I am hoping in the promises of God.” In my circumstances the whole event was so overwhelming that I had no choice but to hope instead of cope. There was nothing I could do. I am confident that we all have had circumstances in our lives when we think “cope, are you kidding me?!? How do I cope when this is so unbelievable?” As Laurie said “Coping is nothing but a rope.” Coping is trying to hold on, believing that I can. Cope/can but God wants us to hope/Him. He wants us to trust Him. The difference is a single letter but to me coping means I am trying to take care of things. Hoping in God’s promises means I believe that God will handle things for and with me. An interesting side note, the word cope isn’t in the Bible. I can do a search of the word hope or I can search His promises but a word search of cope yields no results.  Thank you, Laurie, for adding another layer to my understanding. Don’t you just love how God reveals His truths to us.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 NIV
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5b NIV
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8 NIV
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Many times, even if it is just in my head I have repeated the words to that old hymn My Hope is Built on Nothing Less.

“My Hope is Built on Nothing Less”
by Edward Mote, 1797-1874
1. My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
3. His oath, His covenant, and blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When every earthly prop gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.
4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found,
Clothed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne!
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

7 thoughts on “Hope vs Cope”

  2. Darla

    Thank you for today’s devotional. So many ARE dealing with challenges of every kind and we need to remember who our God is and what He has promised. Jesus bid us to come to Him and He would give us rest. It’s hard to rest if we’re busy “coping,” right?

    In His grip,
    Darla

  3. Mel F

    Thank you Ann for sharing about hope, one of the most important words for my ‘recovery’. I will be revisiting those scriptures and sharing them with friends. My homegroup is called ‘A Message of Hope’.
    Blessings and hugs,
    Mel