Hope

I had to turn off the news again. I don’t want to be ignorant of what is going on in the world, but I was feeling overwhelmed and anxious again. I needed to turn my focus away from things I cannot do anything about and focus on the One that is in control of all things, again.

Stephanie Rogge

Again, here I am again! While 2020 caused me to put my trust and hope in Christ more than any other time in my life, I find that I still need daily renewal. I have to say I am more aware of when I am changing my focus from where it should be. I am quicker to seek His face and get back on course. I don’t ever want to get to a point where I lose hope.
​
Hope. Have you ever really meditated on what that word means? Hope is commonly used to mean a wish: its strength is the strength of the person's desire. If my “hope” solely relied on something I wish would  happen, I would be miserable, because things often do not happen as I would like.
​
But in the Bible hope is the confident expectation of what God has promised and its strength is in His faithfulness.

Romans 8:24-25

24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
​

Hebrews 11:1

11 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
​

Because Christ is my savior, I can tell Him all my desires and fears and know that He cares. My hope is knowing that as His child, I can rely on His promises and that He is faithful to fulfill them. I’m thankful that I can place my hope on the One who knows my future so that I can have peace in the present.


Your friend in Christ,
Stephanie