You Gotta Have Hope

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character, and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Romans 5: 1-5

A couple of years ago during the holidays, one of my dear friends gave me a little ornament that said "hope" on it. Last Christmas I hung it in the living room and haven't had the heart to remove it. When she gave it to me, she said, "Everyone's got to have a little hope, you know?"

I concur. I have been reduced to finding hope in just one place: the promises of God's Word. The other day I was reading and came across a verse that mentioned hope. In the book Nelson's Cross Reference Guide to the Bible by Jerome Smith, led me to Romans 15: 4 which cross referenced dozens of more verses on hope. I started writing these verses in my journal. Some of them just seemed to jump off the page, even though I am sure I have read them many times before.


"Now may the God hope fill you all with joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Rom. 15: 13

The hope isn't in circumstances but in believing God's Word. Whenever I argue with God's Word, I am the one who suffers for it. But what tranquility comes when I just believe the promises.

Romans 8: 24 "For in hope we are saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one hope for what he sees?"


Psalm 71:14 "But I will hope continually, And will yet praise Thee more and more."

Psalm 119:74 "They that fear Thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in Thy Word."

Psalm 119:81 "My soul fainteth for Thy salvation, But I hope in Thy Word."

Psalm 119:114 "Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in Thy Word."

Psalm 130:5 "I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, And in His Word do I hope."

Galatians 5:5 "For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith."

Eph. 1:18 "...the eyes of your understanding being enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of your calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints..."

Col. 1:27 "To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of the mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."

These are some of the verses I wrote in my journal and I have not finished writing them all yet! If we look around us, it doesn't look too hopeful, but when we look in God's Word and know that God is true to His Word, we can have strength to get out of bed in the morning, to plug on in God's plan for one more day.

One day soon, our Hope will appear in the sky, so let us all continue to hold on to the Promises of God's Word!