Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD.
Jeremiah 17:7 NKJV
Do you ever feel a situation is hopeless? I know I have visited seasons of hopelessness when I lost my vision, when I suffered some hearing loss and definitely over my prodigal. With this invisible enemy, the corona virus, hopelessness is on the rise.
As the numbers of cases increase, the hope of never catching it decreases, especially for those in high-risk categories. As people shop for necessities and find bare shelves in the stores, they lose a little more hope. Some aren’t able to work. We all wonder when life will return to normal. Hope continues to fade.
What stands out to me in this verse is that hope has a direct link to trust. Our hope will increase when we trust God, but on the days, we doubt, hopelessness trickles into our hearts. It slowly weakens our hope.
How can we keep hope alive and vibrant? Draw nigh to the source. If I spend some time outside on a cold winter’s day, I seek the warmth of my fireplace when I return inside. I may even get some hot chocolate to warm me up on the inside. In no time, I am warm and the cold I felt earlier is a memory.
It’s vital during these uncertain days that we draw closer to God. Read His Word. Pray more. Try fasting along with prayer. As we seek Him, we need to seek what He desires from us. Is it a stronger faith? Is it obedience? Is there immorality in our lives? What about tithing, forgiveness, bitterness, or gossip? Do we need an attitude adjustment?
The closer we are to Jesus, the easier it is to trust Him. Hope springs from a deep trust in God. As you see your hope increasing, keep building on it. Don’t allow distance to come between you and God when everything gets better. We tend to slack up on prayer when our lives return to normal. That’s why God allows trouble in the first place.
He is trying to get our attention. With this Corona virus, He is definitely seeking our attention. It’s an opportunity to tell others about Christ, the only hope we have.
President Trump and Congress are doing a fine job, as well as local authorities, but we cannot place our hope in them. Governments can let us down. Doctors can let us down, but God will never let us down. He never leaves us alone, not even when the going gets tough.
I encourage you today to place your trust in God, and you will be blessed with the only one true hope available. Jesus is our only hope.
Lord, forgive me when I doubt. Guard my time with You that it may increase. And with it, my faith in You, and then hope will abound. You are my only hope. Amen.
DIG DEEPER
Read Jeremiah 17:5-10
HIKING THE TRAIL
What blessings have you experienced because you have trusted the Lord and He is your hope? Has it sheltered you from fear?
RESOURCES
The Bible is rich with hope-filled promises. Check out these promises plus many more in “Eyes of Faith: Winning the Battle Between Our Feelings and Our Faith.” Learn more HERE
Originally posted on March 27, 2020 @ 3:00 am