Hope
The spiritual person who is known for the virtue of hope always has hope in all the particulars of his life, which grants him strength and joy:
- With regard to repentance and purity, he always has hope that God will pick him up however great his fall may be and will set him up.
- He has hope that God will work with him in every spiritual act. He believes in God, in His goodness and protection, in His love and promises. This faith fills his heart with hope in God’s response. He is full of confidence that his request has entered into the presence of God and that God will do what is good.
- In every affliction or problem he faces, he has hope that God will save him no matter how hard it is or how far God delayed or seemed delaying. This person has hope that God will come, even in the last watch of the night. Therefore, he never loses hope.
- With this hope in him, he does not despair, does not know failure and does not accept the word impossible. With God there is hope, even in the smoking flax and the bruised reed. There is even hope for the barren woman who never gave birth.
- God is the hope for those who have no hope and is the helper of those who have no helper. God is the comforter of the mean-spirited and the harbour for those who are in the storm.
- This hope gives strength that springs from God, as the Lord says, “But those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and shall not faint. ” (Isa. 40:31).
- It is a firm hope that does not shake because it depends on God who has no variation or shadow of turning…
Jonah the Prophet had hope, even when he was in the belly of the big fish. - Hope in God gives joy, “Rejoicing in hope.” (Rom. 12:12).
- Hope is an incentive for work, for hope does not mean idleness, relying on God! No, but it is rejoicing in the work of God and this urges one to work with God, with full enthusiasm…
- Live in the hope and wait for the Lord, rejoicing in Him and in His work.
There is nothing impossible in the life with God. There is hope whatever the sin and the troubles may be and however difficult the case is.
In the spiritual life, how nice are the sayings about hope in the Bible:
“… all things are possible to him who believes.” (Mark 9:23).
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13).
If you are fought with hopelessness about your personal abilities, you should not be fought about God’s power…
If you do not have the ability, God certainly has: Even if you are not seeking Him, He seeks you as He sought the prodigal son and the lost coin. He stands and knocks at your door to open for Him. How great is this hope that God is seeking you and He does not wish the sinner to perish but to repent and live.
Satan, in keen insistence, does not lose hope to destroy the most saintly and continues fighting him. How more becomes our hope in God’s salvation of sinners.
God gave us hope through examples mentioned in the Bible, such as the numerous miracles among which was the resurrection of the dead, even the one who has been dead for four days.
The greater war by which Satan fights us is hopelessness.
