Friday, October 22, 2021
HOPE: Holding on with Patient Expectation
“When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer went up to You, into Your holy temple” (Jonah 2:7 NKJV).
A lot of people in our culture today are starting to lose hope. Experts say that one of the reasons suicide rates are so high is because people have lost hope.
From the inside of a very large fish, Jonah was beginning to lose hope. But then he prayed. Jonah said, “When my soul fainted within me, I remembered the Lord; and my prayer went up to You, into Your holy temple. . . . But I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay what I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord” (Jonah 2:7, 9 NKJV).
Notice that Jonah didn’t have any promise that God would deliver him from the belly of that beast. But he gave thanks to the Lord while he was there.
Maybe you’re going through a hard time right now, and you’re thinking, “I don't feel like giving thanks to God. I’ll give thanks when I get through this problem.”
Give thanks to God now. When Paul and Silas were thrown into prison for preaching the gospel, we read that “at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God” (Acts 16:25 NKJV).
The Bible says, “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! for His mercy endures forever” (1 Chronicles 16:34 NKJV). It doesn’t say, “Give thanks to the Lord when you feel good” or “give thanks to the Lord when circumstances are good.”
If you’re losing hope today, don’t give up. I don’t know what kind of situation you’re in right now, but you’re going to get through it. Remember this acronym for hope: holding on with patient expectation.
Don’t lose hope. God is in control. God is sovereign. And if He got Jonah out of a fish, then God can get you through whatever you’re facing today.
Copyright © 2021 by Harvest Ministries. All rights reserved.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com.
Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.
Grief is one of life’s most difficult challenges. Pastor Greg Laurie experienced this truth when his son Christopher passed away suddenly. Discover comfort and healing in times of pain as you read his book Hope for Hurting Hearts. Receive your copy as our gift for your donation of any amount to Harvest Ministries this month.
