The Thrill of Hope | Northstar Church

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 15:13

Life sometimes feels like we are flying in a storm, doesn’t it? When storms hit us, literally and figuratively like Hurricane Michael, it is easy to feel hopeless. In Hurricane Michael we have bumped up against circumstances that have the potential to not only make us anxious, but to steal our hope. Since we can’t be sure of the future, our hearts are tempted to look at our reality, and assess God’s faithfulness to us by our lack of hope. It is in times like this that we need to remember that real hope is found in Jesus Christ alone, because we know hope in an unchanging and eternal Savior is a certain thing.

When we put our hope in Jesus Christ, we are building our house on rock, the only solid rock. When the trouble comes and our hope is in Jesus, we won’t be shaken. Yes, we will still face trials, sadness, sickness and disappointment, but the difference is they will not steal our hope. Even when life becomes hard we can remind ourselves of the sure source of hope we have in Jesus and Jesus alone because of the cross.

Our hope in Christ is an eternal thing, but it’s also a present thing. We know the eternal future of those who love God, but we also know that Christ fully empathizes with our weaknesses right now. Our Savior experienced many of the things that we are experiencing today. This hope is a present, living hope, because we have a present, living Savior.

When our hope is not in Christ, we risk having our hope weakened or stolen by our circumstances. With the power of the Holy Spirit, we can set down strong roots that will give us a foundation when we face trials in life.

So where does your hope lie? Is your hope found in Christ alone? Whenever your sense of hope starts running out, ask God to renew you with a fresh dose of hope so you can continue to faithfully deal with the difficult situations that come your way. Be confident that God has a plan for you and that plan will unfold perfectly regardless of present circumstances. Let the trials of life pale in comparison to the promises of God—to work all things for good for those who love Him and to be faithful to Him, according to His purposes and plans. Count on God to be your source of hope and give you more hope whenever you ask Him for it.

Discussion Questions:

What does finding my hope in Jesus mean to you?
What can we do this week to move our hope toward God?