Life
hurts - there is no doubt about that. It knocks us for a loop, and we fall flat
on our humiliated face, or into a deep well of despair. If all we have is human
dependence, we are truly miserable.
Our
only recourse is to muster our inner strength and to pull our self up yet again
with our waning human resources. Each time this occurs, we get weaker and more
despondent. Many people eventually run out of steam (Luke 21:26-28).
Our
only and best hope in this life and the next is to trust in God's love through
the saving grace of Jesus' death on Calvary's cross. He is all we need
(Colossians 3:3-4).
When
we focus on Christ instead of our circumstance, He stands with us and in us in
the midst of our trials. With Christ in us we shall never, ever be shaken from
His solid Rock of sufficiency as our everlasting hope (Psalm 16:8, 62:6,
112:6).
His
love is better than life and our lips praise Him for His goodness, love and
provision of all of our needs for every moment of our life (Psalm 63). His
peace and joy embrace us through every negative aspect of life.
Jesus
walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23), comforting
us with His direction and divine presence in our life. The peace He gives
transcends anything this world has to offer and replaces all of our fears (Philippians
4:7).
His
eternal hope shrouds our despair and we can do anything He calls us to do
through His strength within us (1 Corinthians 4:13; Ephesians 3:16). He sustains
us each moment of our day with victory in Jesus.
Prayer:
Father
God, we hope only in You and thank You for Your divine presence in Christ in us
(Galatians 2:20). We eventually lose our way without You to keep us safely
tucked beneath the shelter of Your wings. We cry out to You and You hear us and
deliver us from all of our troubles (Psalm 34:17).
We
hunger after Your holiness and desire to walk only in Your ways (Matthew 5:6).
We trust in no one other than You. You are continually with us and fight for us
(Mark 4:37-40). You joy over us with singing, delight in the day we leave this
world and join You in Heaven, and You bring us Your joy and provision as we
walk in Your Spirit each moment of the day.
Thought
for the Day:
The
God of Hope will fill us with His joy and peace as we trust in, hope in and
believe only in Him; we constantly overflow with His hope by the power of His
Holy Spirit. - Romans 15:13
