Now may the God of hope fill you will all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)
Hope. It's one of those things our world is desperate for, but which can only be found in one place: our great God. He is the God of hope.
Have you encountered what seems to be a hopeless situation lately? Have you thought the thing through from every angle, turned over every card, examined every possibility...and come up hopeless?
I understand. We all encounter situations occasionally which seem beyond hope. "It would take a miracle," we lament.
Fortunately, we serve a miracle-working God. And that's why He is indeed the God of hope.
Meanwhile, while you wait for the situation to turn around, while you look for some evidence that "this too shall pass," while you look for the ray of light at the end of the long dark tunnel, there are some things you can do...so that you wait and watch and look in hope, rather than in hopelessness.
- Keep your eyes on God, the One who knows all and works all. The One who is all-powerful and all-knowing and all-present. Focus on Him, and not the situation. Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
- Ask Him to fill you with joy and peace. Even amidst the darkest situation...the death of a loved one, a divorce, a rejection, a loss of income, a demise of health, trouble with a wayward child, an addiction...God can give you joy and peace. Don't resist these sweet gifts...joy and peace...as we sometimes do on dark days. Instead, embrace these gracious gifts from God as His sweet provision.
- Trust in Him. Wait for Him. Take your hands off. Take your mind off. Let go. Release and breathe and rest. Trust in Him alone.
- Allow the Holy Spirit to empower you to do what you must...to get out of bed, to keep moving, to breathe, to eat, to confront, to change, to let go, to rejoice, to hold your tongue, to move on, to decide. Whatever you must do, while living in this difficult situation, do it in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Even on the most difficult day, when all seems lost and impossible, we can remain full of hope, overflowing with hope...because we have a God who gives us joy and peace in the middle of it all, who is trustworthy, and who empowers us to keep moving.
Do you know someone who needs hope today? Chances are, if they're not followers of Jesus, they feel all is hopeless. Tell them about your God, and pray Romans 15:13 in their presence.
Labels: 2014 Daily Devotional, hope