Do you have hope? Are you filled with joy? Do you live in peace? Do you seek to have those in your life? Do you know how you can find them? Would like to have them to the point of overflowing with them?
It is our human nature to desire a peaceful and calm life. Yet, we often find ourselves in the midst of disruptions on any given day. Our peace is broken. Calm has is replaced by chaos. Worry suddenly takes over.
Joy and peace can be ours for the taking, no matter our circumstances. We may have momentary disruptions, but we return to joy and peace quickly. However, we cannot simply will ourselves to have joy and peace. They come from a source far greater than ourselves. They come from our trust in God.
As we trust God, He fills us with the joy and peace we desire. His Holy Spirit grants us hope through His power and indwelling of us. The hope we receive is not wishful thinking, but a hope that is rooted in truth and trust. We are confident that our hope will come to fruition because it comes from God.
If we do not trust God, we are in opposition to Him. This may sound harsh, and we may deny it. But spend just a moment to think about it. What happens when we trust in ourselves and pursue our desires? We push our agenda rather than God’s. We push God aside to go our own way. Simply put, we oppose God’s desire for our lives.
Once we decide to trust God, regardless of what is going on in our lives, we see God working in our lives in ways we have missed before. We discover the joy and peace He willingly gives us. The Holy Spirit fills us with a hope we cannot achieve on our own.
I pray we all decide to trust God. I pray we seek to follow His plan for our lives. I pray each one of us accept the joy and peace God is willing to give us and overflow with hope from the Holy Spirit. Trust God. Seek His will. Follow His plan. Receive joy and peace. Accept hope from the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 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.
Marty Pressey 