Amanda BethSharing the Truths Behind the TRUTH

What are you placing your hope in? Are you placing it in your job? Your bank account? Your spouse? Your children? Your appearance? Your material possessions?

To put our hope in something means we need it to make us happy. If our hope is in our jobs and we lose them, we lose our hope. If our hope is in our spouses and they leave us, our hope leaves with them. If our hope is in our beauty and it fades, our hope fades with it.

Our hope needs to be in God because He is the only one who can permanently fulfill us.

And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

—Romans 5:5

God’s love never disappoints. But have you ever felt disappointed in God? I have. In the past, I would get disappointed if I trusted God to answer a prayer and He didn’t. I would get disappointed if I obeyed Him and didn’t see the right results. I would get disappointed if I was hit with a trial and He didn’t rescue me.

I thought my hope was in God, but I was often disappointed in Him. I soon realized I wasn’t placing my hope in God. I was placing it in my own expectations of Him.

When God called me to write my first book, I expected to write it and publish it right away. I was often disappointed when I was rejected by publishers and agents in the beginning. I thought if God told me to write a book He would open all the doors. It took awhile to see He was opening the doors; they just weren’t the ones I was knocking at. I wanted Him to do it my way. I didn’t like some of the doors He wanted me to go through. They often led to trials, lessons, and hard work.

Now looking back, those trials are what I needed to prepare me for what was ahead. Had all my hope been in God’s plan for me, I could have enjoyed those years of writing instead of being disappointed.

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

—Romans 12:12

Thinking positive, praising God, and communing with Him keeps our hopes up. It helps us stay joyful while waiting on God to fulfill our desires.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

—Proverbs 13:12

I’ve experienced this verse many times in my life. Once was when I had to go back to work a few years after having my first child. I was devastated to go back and even tried to avoid it. I frequently asked God why He wasn’t providing for me to stay home.

As the years went by, and I had more children, I continued praying for God to help me afford to quit. I tried everything I could to stay happy and be a good employee while waiting on God to answer my request. But as time went on, I started losing hope and fell into depression. Losing hope made my heart sick.

As I clung to God, He brought me out of depression and opened the door for me to stay home. As I looked back I could see His provision was there all along. Through those years, God was working with us on our finances so we could afford one income.

God was also working in me during that time. He was teaching me to be faithful even when it hurts. He was teaching me to trust Him even when I wasn’t seeing results. He was teaching me to be happy even when there wasn’t anything going on to rejoice in.

During those years I learned valuable lessons I wouldn’t trade now for anything. More importantly, I learned my prayers were answered the moment I requested them. I just didn’t see it until after I received it.

God answers our prayers. We don’t see all the behind the scenes work He does to prepare for those answers. We have to remember His ways are far beyond ours. We only see what is in front of our eyes. God sees above and beyond. He sees the final outcome, which is why He asks us to place our hope in Him. We don’t have anything to be disappointed about when all our hope is in Him.

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

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 Week Thirteen Love Walk: Hope

I encourage you this week to place your hope in God. Don’t focus on your outward circumstances. Face each trial with joy as you hope in Him. Cling to Him. Praise Him. And remember to be faithful even when you’re not seeing any results.

But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?

—Romans 8:24

Prayer For The Week:

Heavenly Father,

I praise You for giving me so much to be hopeful for. I know I will never be disappointed when I am trusting You. Help me remain faithful and continue doing Your will when the devil comes against me. Thank You that through Jesus I am an overcomer. I joyfully put my hope in You, my rock, my fortress and my deliverer.

In Jesus’ name, Amen!

Scriptures To Meditate On (pick one to memorize):

Romans 8:24; Isaiah 40:31; Psalm 18:2; Romans 15:13