Do you ever have a word or a phrase that keeps coming back to you over and over? An anthem, lesson or truth that the Holy Spirit keeps putting in your path that He wants to solidify in your spirit? I’ve been having a word come up all around me these last weeks. Hope!
I went to my sister’s church and what was the message on? Hope. I bought a new book my friend wrote and what’s the title? “The Journey to Hope.” I discovered a new music artist and what was the name of my favorite song? “Hope.” I visited a blog I read regularly and what was the latest post about? Hope. It has been popping up everywhere. To top it all off, I was reading through Romans, and when I came to chapter 8 I stopped and chewed on the following passage for a couple weeks:
“For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” (Rom. 8:22-25)
Even when…
There have been at least five other instances where this word has randomly popped up around me. And it makes sense, I could use a bit more of that in my life… I could use some more hope right now. Because even in transition and when the current season of, “here but not yet” seems to never end… Even when the bank account isn’t what you’d like to see, and fear tries to creep in… Even when it seems the big dreams God placed in your heart will forever remain dormant…
Redemption is here.
Begin to hope, my friends, for redemption is coming and is here. Redemption for our hearts is here. Redemption for our bodies is here. Redemption for our relationships is here. Creation is groaning in pain. You don’t have to look far to see it. Our bodies and lives are sometimes in deep pain. Yet even in the darkest of days, we have access to the greatest light–we have access to Life. We have access to Jesus. He is our redemption. He is our Hope. And He fills us with the Helper, who breathes life into our souls.
Romans 8 continues,
“Likewise, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words… And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Verse 26; 28)
He will work all things out for good.
Even in those moments when it’s so hard, you can’t find words to pray–the Spirit Himself prays for you. Even when it feels like you are alone, God is beside you and never leaves you. And He’s not just sitting there, but He’s working. He’s shifting things around you and in your heart, and if you allow Him to heal and refine you, He will work all things out for good. And He will use your pain, healing, and victory for His purpose and for the redemption of creation–of our world.
We hope because we know God is faithful.
You have a God that fills you, prays for you, delivers you, dances with you, propel you forward in joy–and that is why we hope. We hope because we know God is faithful. And we are filled with a trusting expectation for God to always come through because this we know, He is big enough, He is great enough, and He is ever-loving.
So dear one, join this journey and open your heart again and learn how to HOPE.
Read also: Even when I cannot hear you, I will praise you
