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Do you ever fear embracing hope? When hoping for something very dear has resulted in a different outcome and your world tilts so violently you wonder if you can stand, hope feels risky to embrace again. At least, that is my experience. I, with many others, hoped and prayed my dear husband would see victory over his cancer, but the answer was different than what we had hoped and prayed. His healing was not to be on this earth but in heaven.

Hope is a necessary ingredient for living. Scripture says we become heart-sick without it (Pr. 13:12). So when hope takes such a beating and heartbreak has followed in the wake of it, what are we to do?

It’s no surprise I found clarity in God’s Word, and particularly in Romans:

“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”
Romans 15:4 (ESV)

The Holy Spirit uses scripture to instruct and encourage us to have hope and endure through the many changes required in our altered lives.

If our spiritual selves needed oxygen like our physical selves, hope would be that oxygen. What is breathing without hope? I am reminded that hope is sandwiched between faith and love as remaining–essential and permanent (1 Cor. 13:13). Yet to me, hope appeared a risky proposition. It had been deferred by death and I was cautious to hope again. I’ve since seen how even though I didn’t believe I had hope, it lubricated the wheels of action and helped me day after day to get up and do the next thing needed.

Scripture reminds me of who Christ is and His character, the attributes of which can only encourage and instill hope. As we meet today and the tomorrows afforded to us, verses such as these below can help us leverage hope in specific areas like direction, provision, and companionship.

• God shines light before us on our personal paths. “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” – Ps. 119:105 (NIV)
• God’s knows our needs. “Do not be like them (the Gentiles), for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” – Mt. 6:8 (ESV)
• God’s is with us unceasingly. “Does a woman forget her baby at the breast, or fail to cherish the son of her womb? Yet even if these forget, I will never forget you.” – Is. 47:15 .

Lord God, You are the Great “I AM,” forever present. Our hope is not based on circumstances but on Your Character–the love You have shown to us so powerfully. Help us to hope in You and look to You, finding daily provision from Your Hand. In Jesus Name.