How to Rejoice in Hope
Even when life feels heavy and dim, we can rejoice in hope. God holds our future and that is great reason to trust and hope in Him!
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. (Romans 12:12)
My twenty-something-old daughter invited me to Washington, DC, for breakfast last week.
Which meant flying nearly 3,000 miles for some scrambled eggs.
(Actually, the visit had been planned, and the breakfast invitation was thrown in as a bonus.)
Besides, it was more than scrambled eggs. This girl put together quite the spread: eggs, bacon, sausage, homemade biscuits, and 3 kinds of fresh berries. Orange juice and coffee.
A true morning feast.
And as I sat there sipping on my coffee and looking around her sun-filled apartment, my mind took me back to when this daughter was only a little girl.
You can hardly imagine how determined she had been.
As strong-willed as they come.
And there were so many moments when I was ready to give up. I kept thinking, “This isn’t working! Whatever it is I’m doing, it’s not enough.”
Because she could really hold her own, this one.
Now, finally, I have a small glimpse of where that I’m-not-budging spirit has brought her. And it’s a beautiful place.
Not easy. Not comfortable.
But good and right all the same.
For as I’ve told her, “God has made you – He has brought you here – for such a time as this.”
Rejoice in Hope
If only I could’ve had a glance into the future way back when—during those hard days when she refused to give in. And it didn’t appear we were getting anywhere.
Just one small snapshot of a delicious breakfast in DC. (I feel like it would’ve helped a lot!)
But God doesn’t give us those future snapshots, does He.
And yet He does give us hope. And not a vague, wishful-thinking kind of hope. His kind of hope is based on both His promises and His instruction.
That means that no matter how it looks today or how slow the progress seems to be, you can keep moving forward, knowing God is working in ways we cannot yet see.
We can continue in hope; we can even rejoice in hope.
Our hope is not found in our current circumstance, our health situation, our government leadership, or perfect parenting (to only name a few!), but in our Heavenly Father. It’s easy to lose sight of that when we’re in the middle of a difficult or discouraging season, isn’t it? We can forget.
So be patient in your tribulation – whatever that looks like in your life right now – and commit it to prayer.
And put your hope in God.
Yes, we can hold onto hope because even without that advance “snapshot,” we know Who holds the future.
In His Word
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13 (ESV)
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58 (ESV)
In Your Life
Is there something you’re ready to give up on right now? Something, or someone? Don’t lose hope. Consider writing out today’s verse and place it somewhere you’ll see it every day.
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12
Keep these 3 things tucked in your heart: rejoicing, patience, and prayer.
We Recommend
Lisa is excited to share that she and her husband, Matt, offer these two parenting resources: 100 Ways to Love Your Son & 100 Ways to Love Your Daughter. These practical books give you 100 specific, actionable ideas you can implement to show love to your children, no matter what age they are. And the best part? The short, bite-sized readings make it easy to start right now!
Lisa and her husband, Matt, also cohost FAITHFUL LIFE, a weekly podcast focusing on what it means to be a biblical Christian in marriage, parenting, church, and culture.
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