December 11
True hope isn't pretending everything is fine. It's believing God is good even when everything isn't.
Reminder: The Bible, Simplified is the perfect Christmas gift this year. Click here to learn more and buy a copy.
Three Thoughts
Hope is much more of a decision than it is a feeling. When life gets hard, we don't have to fake happiness, we just have to choose to believe that God is still good, still present, still working. God doesn't promise that our days will be easy, but He does promise to fill us with joy and peace in the middle of the hard days.
ROMANS 15:13
Every morning, God's mercies show up in new and fresh ways. That means yesterday's failure doesn't define what we are going through today. The pain from yesterday isn't the final word. So, no matter how hard it got, God's faithfulness is new this morning. He's not done with you or me. He's not giving up. And His love never runs out.
LAMENTATIONS 3:21-23
We can be going through the worst things ever and still choose hope. We don't have to have it all together to trust God. We can be honest about the pain and still believe that He's going to come through. Hope is saying, "Even though I'm struggling, I will praise Him again."
PSALM 42:5
Two Quotes
Political advisor and Founder of Prison Fellowship Chuck Colson on lacking hope:
"As Christians, we have no reason to lack hope. Christ has shown the trustworthiness of God and of His Word."
Minister and Activist Martin Luther King Jr on infinite hope:
"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope."
Prayer
God, I'm struggling to see the light in the darkness right now. Everything feels heavy and a little uncertain, but I choose to believe You are good even when life isn't. Fill me with a new sense of hope today that doesn't depend on my circumstances. Remind me that You are working even when I can't see it. Amen.
Question
What is one area of your life where you need to choose hope today?
See you next Thursday,
Zach
P.S. If you're like me, you're trying to figure out last minute Christmas gifts. I want my gifts to be unique and personal and something that the person will actually use (because we all know what it's like to receive gifts that we don't want lol). My recommendation: Help someone learn the Bible this year. That's a skill they will use for the rest of their life. There are so many incredible resources available - it would be silly not to mention my own. Grab one on Amazon before the shipping cut off so it arrives on time!