The Power of Hope (eBook)

JANUARY 1

Active Hope

“Is not your fear of God your confidence,

and the integrity of your ways your hope?”

JOB 4:6 ESV

Chances are hope is much more than you imagine it to be. It is not the same as wishful thinking. It involves both optimism and a plan toward a goal. It is specific and active. If you thought hope was the same as optimism, you are not alone. However, the science behind hope reveals that it is much more than that. It helps us set and reach our goals.

When we are motivated by hope, we are able to set a plan in motion to reach it. True hope does not cause us to sit back and accept that our lives are constant and immovable. It propels us and hands us the keys of ownership to move ahead with integrity. It keeps our hearts rooted in confidence in the one who holds all things together. Today, if all you do is reevaluate your understanding of hope, it is a step toward living with more intention.

Think through your life and the areas where hope has moved you ahead toward a goal. What areas of your life need hope today?

JANUARY 2

Getting Unstuck

Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us,

keeping our eyes on Jesus,

the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.

HEBREWS 12:1-2 NASB

The ways of Christ help us move out of old ways into new rhythms of living. The power of Christ’s message, life, and miracles cannot be overstated. He is the way, the truth, and the life. If we need a fresh burst of living hope, looking to Christ is an answer that will not disappoint.

Hope challenges us to grow in new ways, putting into practice new ideas and following new ways of doing things. Jesus challenged both the powerful and the humble of his day by inviting them to do just that. He offered a different perspective of God the Father. When we feel bogged down by the world and the failure of doing things as we have for too long, Christ offers us the wisdom of hope to reorient and direct us on new paths that lead to life. Let’s fix our eyes on him and follow in his footsteps!

Today, read through some of the Sermon on the Mount (found in Matthew 5-7) and put into practice one of Jesus’ teachings.

JANUARY 3

Building Blocks

Encourage each other and build each other up,

just as you are already doing.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:11 NLT

A culture of support is incredibly important within our faith communities. When we know that we can depend on others for encouragement and help when we need it, hope will spring from the soil of our interdependence. God created us for community, one that is lifegiving, transformative, and encouraging. In communities that support and uplift each member, it has been shown that an atmosphere of hope is cultivated.

If you want a practical way to build hope in your own life, or in the lives of those around you, take seriously the advice of Paul in today’s verse. He doesn’t mean that you should say things that are disingenuous. Encouragement can be anything from reassurance to gratitude. It can be as simple as calling attention to a strength you see in someone in the face of a struggle. Whatever form your encouragement takes, be intentional about it.

Look for genuine ways to encourage those in your life today, from coworkers to family to friends. Pay attention to how you feel afterward.

JANUARY 4

New Beginnings

“There is hope for a tree,

When it is cut down, that it will sprout again,

And its shoots will not fail.”

JOB 14:7 NASB

We are never without hope. Not even when our lives are torn apart, or we experience devastating losses. Today’s verse reminds us that even when a tree is cut down, there is hope that it will sprout again. If a torn-down tree can grow new life, so can our lives, even when they are cut down to the stump.

The seeds of life only need the right conditions to grow. Consider how precious jewels are created in the dark under pressure. Pearls are formed violently within clamshells from friction and sand. We may just find that the most beautiful treasures of our lives are formed and revealed in our greatest troubles too. Hope keeps us going and leads us on. If we are living, there is hope for a new start and redemption. We are never too far gone from the restorative power of God—no, never!

Hearing the stories of others who have risen from the ashes of their own lives can encourage you in your time of defeat. Take time to listen or read someone else’s story of hope and let it encourage your heart in regard to your own story.

JANUARY 5

Stronger Together

Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

HEBREWS 10:24-25 NIV

In the company of others, we find encouragement to persevere through hard times. We can support one another when we don’t have it in us to support ourselves. In short, we need each other. Reliance and need are intrinsically human; we were not created to go through life on our own. When we feel isolated from others, whether through our experiences or by physical distance, we may find it harder to hold onto hope.

Hope is a resource for coping during hard times. When we are connected to communities with whom we can share our experiences in a real way, we may find that the significance of being seen and met is enough to propel us in hope. Instead of trying to get by or get out of a funk on our own, the power of being met as we become transparent with others is found in the beauty of connection. It can be the difference between just barely surviving and reorienting in hope toward a better future.

Today, whether in person, or in some other way, talk intentionally about what is going on in your life with someone you trust.

JANUARY 6

Invigorating Life Within

To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles:

which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

COLOSSIANS 1:27 NKJV

When we focus on the good that is already present within our lives, we can more readily grow in hope as we look with peace and confidence toward the future. Though we long for Christ to return, we have the Spirit of God alive within us. He is always accessible as he works in love and power. The hope of glory is present in us.

We are not our own and in the best ways. We are not left alone to our own destructive ways when we submit ourselves to Christ. We have the living power of his love to transform us. He loves us to life, time and time again; as he does, we get to walk with him throughout this life. What a glorious hope we have in him!

As you make choices throughout your day, consider how God feels about them. Invite him into your decision making, no matter how small the choice. Let hope, peace, love, and courage compel you.

JANUARY 7

Strengthened in Hope

We continually recall before God our Father the things you have done because of your faith and the work you have done because of your love. And we thank him that you continue to be strong because of your hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 THESSALONIANS 1:3 NCV

Studies show that hope leads to greater resilience in those who practice it. Resilience is the ability to withstand difficulties as well as recover quickly from them when they do occur. For those who practice hope, they are not simply wishing for better days. They know that they must weather the hard days along with the good, and it does not break them.

In Christ, everyone is invited to yield to him, even those of us who have lost hope. Hope is much more accessible than we may realize, just as Christ is. As soon as we turn to God, we have our Father’s help. The psalms illustrate this over and over again. Even when all seems lost, we can call on God for help. He not only comes to our aid, but he also puts his power behind the small crumbs of our offerings. He turns ashes into beauty, and he won’t ever stop doing that!

Read Psalm 56. Bring verse nine to mind every time you need a reminder of God’s faithfulness to those who call on him.

JANUARY 8

Inspired to Do Good

May the Lord Jesus Christ and our Father God, who loved us and in his wonderful grace gave us eternal comfort and a beautiful hope that cannot fail, encourage your hearts and inspire you with strength to always do and speak what is good and beautiful in his eyes.

2 THESSALONIANS 2:16-17 TPT

Hope is not the only end goal; it is also the path that leads us there. Even when our dreams don’t seem accessible, we should fix our attention on the necessary steps to move toward them. We don’t have to know the exact makeup of our dreams to make significant steps forward. In fact, if we get too caught up in our vision of them, we may become discouraged by the need to adjust our expectations.

Hope inspires us to do what is in front of us. The way we...