“This hope…”
What hope are we talking about here?
Paul was writing to the believers in Rome. His previous words were about rejoicing about being brought into a place of undeserved privilege by Jesus, but also rejoicing when we run into problems and trials. He said that those build our endurance and our endurance develops our character and our character develops our confident hope.
How many times have you had a hope and didn’t see it come to fruition? As a kid, I hoped for all kinds of things for Christmas, but the budget didn’t work out for that to happen. As an adult, I have hoped for big and small things, only to see them not happen.
Disappointment. Sadness. Despair. Despondency.
That kind of disappointment makes it hard to hope again; doesn’t it?
But God.
God’s promises are real.
They are true.
They don’t disappoint, because they happen.
And it’s been my experience that when His promises are fulfilled, the sense of joy and excitement are off the charts because His way is to overwhelm us
with His goodness, mercy and grace.
Trust in this today, Believer. God loves you dearly. He has given you the Holy Spirit to fill your heart with love. His love. The love that never ends.
The trials and problems will come. That’s life. When they do, look for how they will build your endurance and develop your character. Choose to see each problem or trial as the opportunity for God to do something amazing in and for you. That’s really something to rejoice about.
Coffee, Bible, Journal.
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