Hope.

What a powerful word in and of itself. I chose to study hope because for a brief period in my life, I didn’t feel like I had it. I mean I was reading the Bible and praying, but couldn’t see past the past. Certainly not enough to have hope for the future.

But God gives us all a reason to hope, even if we don’t see it.

I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. (Psalm 40:1-2)

The Bible is full of God making promises, humans losing hope, only to have those promises fulfilled by God in His perfect timing.

I love Exodus. Where Moses led his people out of Egypt. As I read it, I kept thinking, “Oh, silly people! Why do you keep questioning God?! He’s obviously guiding you. Providing you everything you need. Why do you doubt Him?”

Then I’d close my Bible return to my life and do the very thing I was accusing the Israelites of. Asking God, “Why? When? How?” more than a few times in my prayers.

It’s so easy to point out the mistakes of others while remaining willfully ignorant of those same mistakes made by us.

• Know that wisdom is such to your soul; if you find it, there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off. (Proverbs 24:14)
• For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)
• So that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:7)

My study on hope made me realize I needed to study more on trusting God. After all, how can I expect to have hope in God’s promises if I don’t trust Him fully?

*Rae