I live in one of the poorest countries in the world. I see so much struggle, pain, and death, even though I’m not even around those in this country who fare the worst! I often wonder what I can do in such a sea of difficulty. My hope has shriveled from a plump grape to a hardened raisin.
Maybe you too have had situations and difficulties around you that seem insurmountable. Maybe you too have felt disappointment or anxiety loom over you like a black cloud.
How can we rebuild our hope in a world like this? I’ve been just thinking through what the apostle Paul said in a letter he wrote to the Romans:
May the God of hope fill you with joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
The first thing I see is that our God is the God of hope! Already this encourages my heart. If I am in need of hope, I need to go to Him.
The second thing I see is that trusting God brings joy and peace, which leads to hope. What a great gift! But the challenge is that I am to trust God.
The contrast to trusting God is leaning on my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6). Am I willing to let go of my own trying to figure things out, and take the role of a child, trusting my Father to take care of the things in the future I don’t know about? If I am willing to, I can be filled with joy and peace, and even overflow with hope!
Trusting God really comes by the power of the Holy Spirit. He Himself empowers us with His Spirit to be able to trust, and have the fruit of the Spirit, which includes joy and peace!
So truly we must get on our knees to God alone, laying down our own desire for control and understanding. Only then can we hand our burdens to Him, asking Him to act. We can trust that He will work things out in ways we could not foresee, and actually may never understand until we reach heaven!
Lord, thank You that You alone know the future, and we can burrow into You and trust that You alone can answer our heart’s cry. Thank You for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which include joy and peace as we trust You. Where else can we turn? We look to You, and see the hope You give us of eternal life, of reconciliation, even of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. We may not see the work You are doing around us, or in us, but we thank You that You ARE at work! We ask for this hope, as we trust You to carry out Your perfect will in our lives.
Burundi Joy 