Hope For The Best | Northstar Church

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” — 1 Peter 1:3.

In this life, there are many reasons to feel discouraged. The news alone can provide the reasons to make one feel hopeless. But on the other hand. there are reasons for hope as well.

The basic definition of hope is to look forward with confidence or expectation. The Word of God is replete with hope. Paul knew that all of us need hope in the midst of hopeless situations. As he and Silas sat in a Philippian jail, they could have been in despair. But, instead, they had hope and sang praises to God. And God brought them deliverance and victory (Acts 16).

We may go through situations that are threatening, that can cause uncertainty, anxiety, doubt, or fear. But if we depend on God, we can know that He is the source of hope, and we can rejoice in Him and the hope He promises us. If we have hope we can be filled with joy and peace, no matter what is going on in the world.

Hope will paint a picture for faith to believe to receive. Hope will connect faith with God’s love to supply the answer. Hope looks forward to a promise of God. Faith reaches out to receive it. Today, remind yourself not to place your hope in the world, the world system, or any human being in the world. Rejoice in the hope that God has given you. Place your hope in the living God and His eternal power to save and make everything right in His time, in His way. And then spread the hope you have.

Putting hope or faith into action can take many different shapes, but I believe it should always follow Jesus’ example of solidarity with those less fortunate, inclusion of those on the margins, and putting others before ourselves. There are so many needs out there. We can’t fix all of them, none of us have the time, resources, or money to fix every wrong.

Giving hope to others won’t be quick or easy, but it is possible. We see examples of changing people’s lives all the time. You have to choose to get involved. It requires a resolve to get involved, to make a difference in somebody’s life this season. We only need to get involved in our journey of hope today.

Discussion Questions:

What does a hope-filled life look like?
Through Christ, we have hope. How can that be evident in your life this week?