Hang Onto Hope

Today I was reading a message written by Dr. Charles Stanley and there was one line in it that has stuck with me throughout the day, “God loves you too much to leave you where you are.” It was as if God was talking directly to me.

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12

I have been praying for quite some time for a breakthrough in certain areas of my life. With each passing day, weeks and now months, it can be quite discouraging not to see or feel any shifts.

"The LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love." Psalm 147:11

I have found, that the Lord never wants me to lose hope. He always finds a way, sometimes subtly and sometimes in a grand way, to send me a message or a messenger meant to instill hope in what appears to be a hopeless situation.

"But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love," Psalm 33:18

I believe that God wants us to hang onto hope because when you put your hope and trust in Him and His plans for you, it means you know that He is going to take care of you. Hope in Him is absolute. It’s definite. It’s never a maybe or I hope so. Placing your hope in your money, your talent, your investments, your career, your friends, even your loved ones, means you are placing your hope in things that are uncertain, unstable and worldly.

"You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety." Job 11:18

My favorite verse in the Bible, the one that I always go to when I’m feeling hopeless is Jeremiah 29:11-13, “ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ‘You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

In a fallen world like we live in, with so much pain, destruction, sin, violence, selfishness, and darkness, it is easy to fall prey to feelings of hopelessness, but reminding myself that He already has a plan for me and His ways are not of this world, restores my hope and keeps my eyes fixed upon Him and not on my circumstances.

"We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield." Psalm 33:20

The fact that He loves me enough to send me such a perfectly timed message reminds me that He is still at work in my life and this gives me great hope, "God loves you too much to leave you where you are." This is true for all of God's children.

With Love,

Stacey