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
Hope is in short supply these days.
Looking at the reasons for the lack of hope might be just what we need in order to give the gift of hope. We are surrounded by negative sound-bytes at every turn. We are seeing an increase in violence and uncertainty. People are afraid for the future. It is especially important to allow others to grieve when they have lost something. The gift of hope actually provides a safe haven so that you can feel the sadness of your loss and let God carry that for you. You can establish an oasis of hope by doing the following things:
- Give permission to mourn if there has been loss
- Be present when people need to talk and listen without judgment or quick solutions
- Smile with genuine joy
- Remember that God is faithful so look for miracles no matter what is going on
- Be excited for someone’s future because you see what God is doing in their lives
- In the midst of whatever you are going through, be thankful and choose hope for an upgrade
- Recognize that you cannot manufacture this right now but must rely on the Lord as the God of HOPE
- Pray together for hope restoration. One touch from God restores your joy, heals your heart and renews your hope. You are complete in Him, so allow Him to give you a vision of His plan.
What are other ways that you can give the gift of hope?
