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Two Reasons to Always Have Hope

While reflecting on this past year, God reminded me that I can always have hope in spite of difficult times and disappointing outcomes. Friend, you can too.

Scripture contains the following prayer about 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 NIV).

I love that God is referenced here as the God of hope. The Biblical definition of hope is “confident trust with the expectation of fulfillment”. 

This means that no matter what happens in this world or what difficulties we face, we can confidently trust God. He is always faithful and true to His Word. 

Reasons to Have Hope

Besides God’s faithfulness, let’s explore two reasons why believers in Jesus Christ always have hope. 

1. Hope of eternal life

Because of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, believers have the hope of eternal life in heaven through their faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16). We look forward to spending eternity with our God where there will be no more sorrow, crying or pain. As a reminder and down payment of our inheritance, God gave the Holy Spirit to dwell within us (Ephesians 1:13-14). This means the Spirit is always with us.

 2. Hope of God working on our behalf

In addition to eternal life, believers have been adopted into God’s family (Ephesians 1:5). God loves us as His very own, always watching over us. Therefore, we have hope because God is for us. Everything He allows into our lives, He works out for our good, conforming us into the image of Christ (Romans 8:28-29). 

Choose to Trust

When facing difficulty or disappointment, choose to trust God. Instead of focusing on the circumstances, remember the hope we have. Then draw near to God, trusting in His faithfulness and love.

Remember, this world is not our home. Our discomfort is temporary in light of our eternal home in heaven. Also, remember that God sees the big picture while we cannot. He alone knows what is best. Therefore, we can rest knowing He is working on our behalf even though things may not turn out how we expect. 

Role of the Holy Spirit

All this is possible through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit reminds us of God’s promises and character, giving us strength and enabling us to trust.  As we trust God, He fills us with joy and peace (Romans 15:13a). Joy from knowing God loves me, and that my future is secure in Him. Peace from knowing God is in control, and that I am under His care. The result is overflowing hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13b).

What a beautiful picture of a believer trusting in the Lord and overflowing with hope!

Remember, friend, you always have hope no matter what the circumstances, for God is the God of hope.

Thank You, Father, that You are the God of hope. Fill us with all joy and peace as we trust in You, so that we may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Reflective Questions

  • What prevents me from trusting God?
    • Do I have a hard time giving up control? 
    • Do I try to figure things out on my own?
  • How can I maintain my focus on God?
  • What spiritual disciplines can I implement to draw near to God?

For Further Study

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