Overflow with hope?

posted in: Andy Blogs | 0
 “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)
The hope that is mentioned here is not a ‘may be’ or a ‘it would be nice if it happened’! Rather it is something that is definite. It comes from God. Note also joy and peace being connected to trusting in Him.
In recent weeks, at ICL some ‘big’ issues have been touched on such as suffering and struggles and also if there can ever be healing.
Whether you count yourself as a Christian or not, I want to encourage you to look in the Bible to see what is written there about challenges that come in life.
Let’s be real – things can happen in all our lives that can seem confusing, devastating or impossible. Whether this be health issues, relational or otherwise.
The verse I have included here, encourages us to know the God of hope at work in our lives. Note, we do not have to conjure this hope ourselves! Paul, who wrote Romans; writes of our ‘overflowing with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit’. How can we have hope when things seem hopeless?  It is possible through the Holy Spirit working in our lives within the midst of the stuff of life.
Of course to experience His Spirit at work, then we need to know God. This is possible through Jesus Christ and what He did on the cross. Really? That execution back in the 1st Century in the Middle East? Yes, that execution, still impacting lives today. More than that the risen Christ is still transforming lives today. Do you know Him?
May be many reading this would say ‘yes I do’. Then I would simply ask, how are your ‘hope levels’? If low, can I encourage you to look to Him and His promises. If need be, open up and be real with some others about it too. Others you can trust and will encourage you.
Lastly, if you have read this far, one last question….. who could you encourage in coming days to turn to the God of hope in the midst of what they are journeying through.
Thanks for reading.
Andy