IncreaseSample

Increase in Hope

Seasons change…there are times that may be filled with challenges, and some might feel more than the average. We may experience health challenges, emergency situations, loss of loved ones, and even storms we thought we were prepared for. We can understand what it means to have the wind taken out of our sails.

These seasons may have you feeling like you cannot find the words to pray, have a heavy heart with concerns, and feel hope is so far away. Our spirit longs to be with God, longs for His comfort and His strength. How can anyone turn this around? These situations can be permanent, no turning back. We need hope.

Maybe you find yourself in a good place, things are going well, and in the back of your mind, you just wish you could change some things. Do you know you are blessed and find yourself “hoping” for a change, a small shift, or a breakthrough?

Psalms 103:1-5 NLT reads:

“Praise the LORD, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Each morning, no matter how you feel, begin to acknowledge that God is a good God, and begin to thank God for every good and perfect thing. The things you can see and the things you cannot. Place your hope in your Redeemer. Know that God is your everything; do not be frozen in concern or worry.

If we are feeling hopeless, we need to understand that hope is not wishful thinking; it is not an emotion. True hope is anchored in Jesus. When the bible calls Him “the God of hope,” it reminds us that He is both our source and our sustainer of the hope we need—not just a little, but an overflow. God offers us an increase of hope; God desires for us to want an overflow of hope.

Romans 15:13 reminds us:

● Trust in God

● Be filled with joy and peace

● Increase (overflow) in hope

In a world often clouded with uncertainty, anxiety, and loss, it’s easy for us to lose hope, but the Lord doesn’t ask us to hope in ourselves or to make up hope. He promises to fill us with His hope as we trust in Him. And that's not all, He desires for us to overflow with hope, like a fountain that never runs dry.

Reflection and Application:

1. Ask yourself, where do you look for help? Do you put your confidence in what your circumstances say, the outcome, or timelines? Put your confidence in the unchanging God, the God who fills us with joy, peace, and anchors us with hope.

2. How do you increase hope? Trust in the God of hope. The Holy Spirit strengthens us in suffering, steadies us in waiting, and shines light in our darkness. No matter how uncertain things may appear, there is Hope in Jesus.

3. Increase your hope by placing your trust in God. Remind your heart that God will calm the storm, move any mountain, and meet every need. Your emotions will align with God's Word as you speak it over your life and every situation.

Prayer

Father,

You are the God of all hope, and I thank You for that. When I feel weary, discouraged, or unsure, remind me that hope is not far because You are near. Increase my trust in You, so that I may be filled with Your joy, peace, and hope. Let my life increase with hope by the power of Your Spirit, and may that hope point others back to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.