My Hope

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:1

There was a time in my life when the idea of overflowing with hope seemed like an impossible dream.  My life was falling apart, and I was sinking so far into despair that I couldn’t see ever getting out of it.  Oh, I’d hope that things would get better, but it was an empty hope without power, and with no expectation that things would ever really change.  I was without God, and without Him, hope is… well, hopeless.

For those who do not know the Lord, hope has very little meaning.  It is nothing more than a wish, a pipedream, or simply another way to state a mainly selfish desire.  It’s something that a person wants to happen, but has about as much power to bring it to reality as a frog has of turning itself into a prince.  Apart from our Lord there is no true hope; it is just a feeling ~ a fleeting emotion at best, leaving nothing to hold on to when the winds of adversity come.

After surrendering my broken life to the God of Hope in my thirties, everything changed.  Hope changed.  Biblical hope offers so much more to hold on to during the storms.  Our God is our hope.  With Him, no longer do we need to grope around in the darkness, futilely grasping at anything we might be able to hold on to.  He is almighty God!

“His way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless.  He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. (2 Samuel 22:31)

Our hope has nothing to do with us, or even our circumstances, our hope is in our perfect, unchanging God. Things will get better!  We may not be given healing we are praying for on earth, but we have a glorious inheritance waiting for us in heaven where things will be not only better, but perfect!

Until then, we live in a world where there is much suffering.  Jesus warned us about the difficulties we would face, but also promised that we would have peace, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)  Jesus has overcome, and even though there is much disease and hardship, much evil and family strife, much financial worry, rebellious children, unemployment, aging parents, and even the simple burdens of our day-to-day struggles we, too, are more than over-comers through Him who is our hope!

Once again, my life is crashing all around, with uncertainty banging at the door, but God, who is my hope, is more powerful than anything that might come against me and He is faithful!  When sadness threatens, He is our joy.  Where fear begins to creep in, our God is peace.  In trusting Him, I have found a hope that cannot be shaken, and regardless of what life’s circumstances may bring, we can be overflowing with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Hope is no longer an uncertain wish for something better, it is our God, who is all-powerful, and all knowing, who holds everything in his hand.  He is our Hope ~ unchanging, never-ending, more than enough ~ Hope!

Father, you are our Hope!  We thank you and give you praise.  You are all we need in this sometimes scary and uncertain world.  I pray Lord that you would pour out your peace on all who read this, and that each one would know the Hope that can be found in You.  May you fill us with all joy and peace as we trust in You, and please Lord, make us a people that overflow with hope through the mighty power of the Holy Spirit.  In the Name that is above all names, I pray, amen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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