14. Hope in the Hard Places: Worshiping in the Tension

Life doesn’t always wrap up neatly with a bow. Sometimes, we find ourselves in the middle of a story that feels unfinished, waiting on answers, longing for resolution, and wondering where God is in the tension.

In this episode of Hard & Holy, I’m inviting you into the reality of worshiping in the middle—before the breakthrough, before the clarity, before we see how it all works out.

We’ll look at 2 Chronicles 20 and how Jehoshaphat and the Israelites didn’t wait for victory to worship—they worshiped into the victory. We’ll also talk about what modern worship can look like in our everyday lives, beyond just Sunday mornings. And somewhere in the middle of it all, I’ll share a little bit about my Pawpaw’s church and how an old hymn reminded me that our victory has never been about the outcome—it’s always been about Jesus.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in between hope and hardship, this one’s for you. 

Key Takeaways: 

• Worship isn’t just about what happens in church—it’s about how we respond to God in the waiting.
• Hope and hardship aren’t mutually exclusive. We can grieve and trust, wrestle and believe.
• If our worship is rooted in results, we’re not worshiping God—we’re worshiping the outcome.
• God is present in the middle, and even here, we are held.

Let’s keep this conversation going! You can find me on Instagram @cassandralspeer—I’d love to hear how God is meeting you in the middle of your own story.

If this episode encouraged you, would you take a second to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend? It helps more than you know, and it means the world to me.

Until next time, keep holding onto hope—even when it’s hard.