How to find HOPE in any situation
How to find HOPE in any situation.
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” Romans 15:13
Have you ever watched a hot air balloon take off from the ground?
It is such a beautiful sight to watch.
When the hot air balloon is first assembled on the ground, it is flat, and needs hot air to fill it up, so that it can lift off the ground, and float high in the sky.
It’s like that with our faith in Christ. We need God to fill us with his peace, joy, hope and security, so we can soar like a hot air balloon.
Sometimes when we face situations that seem hopeless, it is easy to let it weigh us down.
It’s not by our own striving, willpower or strength that we encounter hope.
It’s because we have faith in our God, and by the power of his Holy Spirit.
So, what can we do if we need hope?
Look in the Bible.
"Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path" Psalm 119:105
The first place to look when you need to find hope is God's word. The Bible contains many of God's promises and his truth for us. It gives us comfort, instruction and guidance. When you are facing a difficult situation, its important to search the scriptures for God's truth for us, and meditate on it.
A few years ago I was facing some health challenges and I found a couple of verses that talked about healing, and wrote them on a piece of paper and put them on my wall. I memorized those Bible verses and they gave me hope that God had healing for me.
What are you going facing today? Find a verse and hold onto it, meditate on it, focus on it, and think about it. God's word is living and active and it gives us hope that what we are currently facing is only temporary.
Look forward to the future.
"For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future" Jeremiah 29:11
I don't know about you, but when I have situations that look impossible, I have found it easy to focus on the the problem and get a bit stuck in how hard it is. This only makes us feel more hopeless. It says in the verse that God has a hope and a future for us, and wants us to prosper. That means God has great plans for our future, and that he is working behind the scenes, even if we can't see it, to help us to flourish, thrive and grow.
Its important for us to look forward into our future and start to dream about the things that God has placed in our hearts to accomplish. As we fix our minds on what is ahead, it can help us take the focus on what seems so difficult now.
If you look back throughout your life, you will be able to recall all the things that God has done and what how he has healed you, blessed you and loved you. When we remember these testimonies of God's faithfulness, it inspires us to keep moving forward towards the plan God has for us.
Look up to God.
"You are my Father, my God, the rock of my salvation" Psalm 89:26
Our God is so wonderful.
He is our Reedemer, our Strong Tower, our Resting Place, our Healer, our Peace, our Strength, our Joy.
There are so many verses throughout the Bible who talk about who God is to us.
Its important that we look UP to God when we are facing difficult times and looking for HOPE because he is our Heavenly Father, who has great plans for us.
When we look UP, it helps us focus on how BIG our God is, and how he is in control and that we can trust him.
When we look at our situation or ourselves, its easy to start to lose hope. When we look up to God to heal us, change us and transform us, we put our hope in him.
If you are facing a difficult situation today, just remember you are not alone. God is with you, he has everything you need to get through, and he has hope for you.