Durruck
Pirate!
The God of Hope
By Jon Walker
“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 5:5, NIV)
I’ve never met any chocolate I didn’t like, which is why I’ve struggled with weight most of my life. I’ve dropped it off and then put it back on. I’ve tried every form of diet, and even made up a few of my own.
I maintained a friendly battle with weight – a wink at the straining scale – until I became extra-ordinarily ill and, for about a year, was unable to walk much further than the mailbox. Needless to say, I gained more weight than ever, and found myself facing a huge challenge. I no longer needed to lose 10 or 15 pounds; instead I needed to lose more pounds than there are days in a month, and I’m not referring to February!
With age nipping at my heels, I discovered it wasn’t as easy to drop the pounds as it used to be, and I found myself feeling the situation was hopeless – the kind of hopelessness that makes you think, “What’s the use? I might as well not even try.”
There’s no doubt in my mind that you can relate, not necessarily about the weight, but about the hopelessness. Maybe you’re in a marriage that’s got you thinking, “What’s the use?” Or maybe you’re facing health issues, thinking, “What’s the use?”
Or perhaps you’re in a frustrating job, facing a difficult family issue, wondering if you’ll ever get good enough grades to graduate, dealing with the gut-wrenching death of the most important person in your life, or feeling hopeless after so many attempts to have a baby.
In fact, I stumbled upon this truth when my daughter, Kathryn, died. The truth is that we serve a God of hope, and it’s a hope that will not disappoint (Romans 5:5). It’s not a hope based on feeling; rather, it’s a hope deeply rooted in a relationship with the One Who Can Be Trusted Above All Others.
It doesn’t mean you’ll get everything you want, but it does mean God is working in your life, bringing you to a future hope and a holy healing (Jeremiah 29:11). Let us wait together patiently for this unseen hope that we do not hold yet in our hands, knowing, in faith, that our God of Hope will not abandon us or leave us disappointed.
What now?
· Sufferings lead to hope – “And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 5:2-5, NIV)
· God is working, even if we don’t see it – “…But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness … And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:24-26a, 28, NIV)
· Our only hope is God – “Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, O LORD our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this.” (Jeremiah 14:22, NIV)
· What’s the use? – Ask yourself, “Where in my life am I saying, ‘What’s the use? I might as well not even try?’” Ask God to give you hope in that area of your life – and believe, in faith, that he will!
© 2007 Jon Walker. All rights reserved.
The above content is provided in its entirety from purposedrivenlife.com and used with the full permission of the website. Additional archives of the Purpose Driven Life devotionals can be found in their archive.
By Jon Walker
“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 5:5, NIV)
I’ve never met any chocolate I didn’t like, which is why I’ve struggled with weight most of my life. I’ve dropped it off and then put it back on. I’ve tried every form of diet, and even made up a few of my own.
I maintained a friendly battle with weight – a wink at the straining scale – until I became extra-ordinarily ill and, for about a year, was unable to walk much further than the mailbox. Needless to say, I gained more weight than ever, and found myself facing a huge challenge. I no longer needed to lose 10 or 15 pounds; instead I needed to lose more pounds than there are days in a month, and I’m not referring to February!
With age nipping at my heels, I discovered it wasn’t as easy to drop the pounds as it used to be, and I found myself feeling the situation was hopeless – the kind of hopelessness that makes you think, “What’s the use? I might as well not even try.”
There’s no doubt in my mind that you can relate, not necessarily about the weight, but about the hopelessness. Maybe you’re in a marriage that’s got you thinking, “What’s the use?” Or maybe you’re facing health issues, thinking, “What’s the use?”
Or perhaps you’re in a frustrating job, facing a difficult family issue, wondering if you’ll ever get good enough grades to graduate, dealing with the gut-wrenching death of the most important person in your life, or feeling hopeless after so many attempts to have a baby.
In fact, I stumbled upon this truth when my daughter, Kathryn, died. The truth is that we serve a God of hope, and it’s a hope that will not disappoint (Romans 5:5). It’s not a hope based on feeling; rather, it’s a hope deeply rooted in a relationship with the One Who Can Be Trusted Above All Others.
It doesn’t mean you’ll get everything you want, but it does mean God is working in your life, bringing you to a future hope and a holy healing (Jeremiah 29:11). Let us wait together patiently for this unseen hope that we do not hold yet in our hands, knowing, in faith, that our God of Hope will not abandon us or leave us disappointed.
What now?
· Sufferings lead to hope – “And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” (Romans 5:2-5, NIV)
· God is working, even if we don’t see it – “…But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness … And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:24-26a, 28, NIV)
· Our only hope is God – “Do any of the worthless idols of the nations bring rain? Do the skies themselves send down showers? No, it is you, O LORD our God. Therefore our hope is in you, for you are the one who does all this.” (Jeremiah 14:22, NIV)
· What’s the use? – Ask yourself, “Where in my life am I saying, ‘What’s the use? I might as well not even try?’” Ask God to give you hope in that area of your life – and believe, in faith, that he will!
© 2007 Jon Walker. All rights reserved.
The above content is provided in its entirety from purposedrivenlife.com and used with the full permission of the website. Additional archives of the Purpose Driven Life devotionals can be found in their archive.