Hope

Hope it is a simple yet powerful little word, which can be used interchangeably in any given conversation. At times we use this word to describe our need to get out of the funk in which we find ourselves—when we need help. And if we do not get it, what starts out as a mild case of the blues can spiral down into depression, which leads to discouragement, and then, finally, to despair. Each time we move a little lower because a little more hope has died.

The key, of course, to not losing hope is to place our hope in the right things. If we set our hope on something, even a very good something, which we desire in this life, we may well lose our hope. There is only one thing of which we can be sure, and that is God's presence and all the blessings that come with it. Our hopes will find increasing fulfillment if what we hope for is to know more of God and the things He has for us. Our hopes will be realized if deeper intimacy with our heavenly Father is what we seek. We can bank our hopes on any and all of the things God has promised us in his Word.

But that doesn't mean we have to give up on having answers to our prayers for our more mundane concerns. Far from it! We have a God who delights in blessing us, and one of the ways He reveals His character to us is by showing us He is adequate to meet our needs and by demonstrating that He has heard the deep cries of our hearts. It is good and right to hope for God's answers to our prayers for all things.

Paul wrote, Faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13).

 

Since these words occur in a discussion that focuses on love, we can easily over look the faith and hope part, but each aspect of this trio is of vital importance to our walk with God and to our spiritual and emotional sanity. If you are struggling with disappointment or despair, is there a corresponding loss of hope in your heart? We work on growing our faith and our love. Let's not forget hope. Don't let its spark die out. Fight for it, pray for it, and allow God Himself to renew your hope for and in all things.