Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Hope (05/04/06)
-
TITLE: Godly Hope | Previous Challenge Entry
By Lisa Vest
05/05/06 -
LEAVE COMMENT ON ARTICLE
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
ADD TO MY FAVORITES
As long as we live on this earth, we will have something we want to have happen. The Encarta Dictionary defines hope as “something that somebody wants to have or do or wants to happen or be true”. We hope we get that job. We hope our children will turn out right. We hope our unsaved loved ones will accept the Lord. There are so many things throughout the course of our lives that we hope will happen. But what kind of hope do we have?
There is a Godly Hope and there is a worldly hope. A worldly hope is nothing more than a wish or desire for which there is no basis to believe that it may come to pass. For the Christian, our hope has a foundation and a power that can be applied that will bring results. As Christians, we have the power of faith and we can put that faith to work through prayer…prayer based on God’s Word. When we pray God’s Word, we pray God’s will.
Hebrews 11:1 (KJV) says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Without hope there would be no purpose for faith. We must have a hope, something we desire, in order to put our faith to work
Godly hope is not just a casual wish. Often in life and death situations, where someone is sick or injured, that person has a much better chance of survival if they have not lost their hope. Hope is vital to our thinking. Hope gives us a sense of stamina and keeps us from giving up. Godly hope connects what we believe deep down in our heart and tells our minds to trust in God and His Word. Hope then gives faith a place to work. While we can’t see our answer, hope keeps us on our knees, depending on God, trusting that He is who He says he is and He will do what He said He will do.
Several years ago, when I had been praying about a situation, I was getting very frustrated because I saw no change. Nothing seemed to be getting better and I was getting more and more discouraged. Then one night as I was trying to go to sleep, I felt God whisper to my heart, “Hope does not disappoint.” I smiled and knew that God was trying to help me, to keep me from giving up, because as long as I had that Godly hope, I would eventually see the answer. The situation did not turn out exactly the way I wanted it to, but it did get better, and I’m sure that hope played a vital role in that. During that time I learned the power of hope and it is a lesson I will never forget. God is honored when we believe His Word enough to hold onto hope and pray in faith, believing that He will never leave us or forsake us, no matter how things may look. That is Godly hope and that is hope that will never disappoint!
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
If you died today, are you absolutely certain that you would go to heaven? You can be right now. CLICK HERE
JOIN US at FaithWriters for Free. Grow as a Writer and Spread the Gospel.