With Hope

With Hope

We live in a polarized world right now, and so many are reacting — and in some cases, overreacting — to situations out of fear. People are feeling a loss of control, and springing from that, an increasing need to regain control. I see more anger, more suspicion, more hiding, more self-protection, and more hostility than ever. And the more I grieve and pray, the more urgency to share my hope with those who are rapidly losing theirs.

Thank you, Jesus for the hope we have in You! May this truth soak down deep into our being and inform everything we do. Use us to be a light to every person we encounter. Show this hurting world that they need You.

In 1 Thessalonians, Paul says that as believers, we do not grieve as the rest do, who have no hope (4:13). Paul acknowledges that yes, we will grieve like the rest of the world, but not in the same way! We grieve WITH HOPE. This means we have something to offer – we have a deep knowing that this is not all there is. In eternity, all the wrong things will be made right, and that is our ultimate hope. But until then, we can also live with joy, anticipation, and freedom on this earth, trusting in our all-powerful God who gives us His strength and power for each unpredictable day.

Are we living each day with this hope? Hope should inform everything we do, everything we say, everything we believe, and every way we act toward others. God’s hope in us is a beacon of light, attracting a fearful world out of the suffocating darkness they are living in. With confidence and boldness, let us challenge ourselves to “always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you that you have” (1 Peter 3:15).