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Signs of Hope

Walking with God means walking with hope; we are never left without hope. At times the signs of hope seem few and far between. You have to learn how to look. In the midst of dark times, God is always there and that is why there is a reason for hope.

Hope and faith go hand in hand. Faith is built on hope. There are no circumstances in which you find yourself that you cannot find reason for hope. David wrote the Psalms in the midst of his many distressful situations. His writings always lead him to hope. Psalm 25:5 is an example:

Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. Even in the darkest of circumstances we can find hope when we look to the Lord.

There are signs of hope everywhere in a fallen world. The sun rises each morning with the hope of God’s mercies. The birds sing in praise to God as an example for us to be thankful that God is here and God is with us and God cares about us.

Life is meant to be lived with hope. When hope is absent, there is no life. The only place to find hope that will be stronger than any evil that befalls you is when you look to God.

I’ve been contemplating my hope as I walk through a stressful and seemingly overwhelming situation. Each day I record the experiences that give me hope. I keep a list of moments in the day prior for which I am most grateful. It could be as simple as a blue jay visiting in my backyard or the way the light blazed through the kitchen window. This daily practice has become a map of hope. Each way I see God personally ministering to my soul gives me hope that He is redeeming the seemingly hopeless situations I face in my life.

Looking for signs of hope should be a daily practice in our lives. We should become as smart as the birds that sing out to God so strongly as the morning sun rises on a new day. We have every reason to have hope if we know God. If our only hope is that He is with us and will never forsake us, that is reason enough.Paul summarized life so beautifully when he wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:13:

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Faith and hope lead to the greatest virtue, which is love. Our faith in God is proven by the reality that we never give up hope. If our faith and hope are fixed firmly in Him alone, then love will be the outcome. We will endure our hopeless-appearing circumstances with faith that God will give the strength to get us through. Our faith will blossom hope that continues to find distaste for the harsh realities of a sinful world. Faith gives us assurance that there is something greater being prepared for us and that all the trials we go through on earth are transforming our souls making the experience of what is ahead of greater benefit to us.

When we can find reason to hope, we have found what is greatest of all—the love of God. We know His love and we respond in love by hoping against hope. It’s only when circumstances are furthest from what you hope for you discover the meaning of hope.

 

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