The Gift Of 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 15:13

A chronic ailment can certainly change our outlook on life and perspective about the future. We might spend most of our energy simply managing today. With depressive symptoms, getting out of bed might be all we set our sights on. But even in the smallest of efforts, like getting out of bed, there is an element of hope.

Hope is a small but powerful word. For the believer in Christ, hope is the expectation that God will make something happen. Sometimes hope gets put in the category of an emotion or a wish. But biblical hope is a confident assurance—a decision to believe in God’s promises, even when our circumstances look hopeless.

It might seem contradictory to think that in the midst of an illness or loss we could have hope. But because God said he will supply all our needs (Philippians 4:19), we can rest in the expectation that he will provide and he is working everything for his divine purposes. Our hope is in God, who does not lie or change. He sees and knows all things. Nothing is out of his control or impossible for him.

During difficult times, we will be tempted to lose our hope that anything will ever change. When those thoughts come to mind, reflect on the thousands of instances in the Bible where God did what he said he would do. We will see examples of his faithfulness to his promises and know he will continue to be faithful. Our hope is on solid ground.

The very least you can do in your life is figure out what you hope for. And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof.

Barbara Kingsolver

We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

For Further Reflection

Job 11:18–19; Isaiah 40:31; Proverb 23:18

Today’s Prayer

Father, from this point forward, please help me to keep my hope in you—not in people or things but in the one who created everything. Thank you for your promises and for new mercy every day. Amen.