To have peace, success and joy in life we really have to have an expectation of good things. Without that expectation we can live in a state of waiting for the next bad thing to happen or failure to impact our life. But that is not how God wants any of us to live. Yes bad, negative and downright awful things do and can happen, but it’s hope and especially hope in God that will see us through the darkest storm and the toughest battles.
Hope is a powerful thing. God’s idea of hope is a “deep settled confidence that God will keep His promises”.
God’s Word actually teaches us that hope when and where we have God involved is a supernatural expectancy. It’s a hope that looks beyond the natural possibilities to those things that God has promised us in His Word and the agreement or covenant He has made with us to bring them to pass. Hope like this overrides natural abilities and circumstances and goes beyond to begin to see and know that all things are possible where God is involved.
Hope like this however isn’t just posessed by only knowing God’s promises, it also hinges on us seeing ourselves in possession of those promises.
If you’ve grown weary or been hit with circumstances that might be tempting you to lose hope, today don’t quit. Don’t think you don’t have enough faith to keep believing. You can have your hope restored.
The bible says it this way, “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, “Go, throw yourself into the sea,” and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:22-24)
David in the bible lived with the ultimate highs and lows of life. You can read some of his story in Psalms in the bible where he poured out what he was experiencing in both the great times and his moments of absolute despondency. One of the things Davids story reminds us to do is to not get downcast even when life throws us “curve balls”. He said, “Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God. For I shall still praise him, my salvation and my God.” (Psalm 43:5 ISV)
When I look at the life of David I notice some things, which caused him to be able to say “Why so downcast O my soul, put your hope in God”. When he was feeling discouraged He reminded Himself of who God is and he recounted all the things God had done for him in the past, as well as declaring God’s goodness and His loving hand on His future.
David said, “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life- of whom shall I be afraid?”(Psalm 27:1)
“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living”.(Psalm 27:13)
Today if you are facing difficulties or feeling discouraged I encourage to picture and speak better things for tomorrow and remind yourself of God’s goodness, His love and all of the promises in His word. (There are a lot of them).
Reaffirm your confidence in who God is and that nothing is too hard for Him. Renew your commitment to Him, follow His way of doing things and relax knowing He will keep His promises because He loves you and He does not want to withhold any good thing from you.
“Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?” ( Romans 8:32 NLT)
“Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” (Hebrews 10:23)
“For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you. Do not fear; I will help you”. (Isaiah 41:13)
Prayer: Lord please help me to have hope and an expectation for better things, both for today and tomorrow. Help me to have a deep settled confidence in you and your promises. In Jesus Name Amen.
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