A Prayer When You Need Hope
By Betsy de Cruz
“We rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” – Romans 5:2
When my daughter left for college halfway across the country, the Christmas holidays gave me something to look forward to. Of all the parenting stages, I loved the teen and young adult years most, so the hope that I’d see my daughter again at Christmas lightened the grief I felt over her absence at home.
You may be walking through a challenge more difficult than sending a child to college. In times of trial, having something to look forward to brings comfort. As Christians, we have the privilege of praying for God to intervene, and we can anticipate that He will respond. However, when we don’t yet see the answer to our prayers, sometimes we struggle to keep hoping in God’s goodness.
Whether we’re dealing with illness, unemployment, or loss, we quickly lose faith when we focus on the difficult side of our circumstances. Hope is a key ingredient to living joyfully, but how can we live as people of hope in a fallen world where trouble seems to abound?
In the opening verses of Romans 5, Paul reminds us that in Christ, God redeems our suffering to produce perseverance, character, and hope. The hope we have in Christ goes beyond optimism or the confidence of a good outcome in today’s trial.
In Christ, we can look forward to everlasting life as cherished children of God and a secure future in His kingdom. The Scriptures point us to the fact that Jesus will come again and take us to the eternal place He has prepared for us in His Father’s house.
Of course, we have hope in the promises of God for the here and now. We can trust Him to work good through our circumstances. But even when we don’t receive the answer to our prayer in the way we expect, we have hope in the promise of eternal life.
Just as the thought of seeing my daughter at Christmas bolstered my spirit as I grieved her absence at home, the hope of seeing Jesus one day strengthens our spirits as we encounter trials in this life.
Today, let’s lift our eyes to heaven and look at life from God’s perspective. Jesus will return, and we can rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Let’s pray:
Lord, make me a person of hope. When I pass through times of trial, renew my sense of your presence, and help me remember I always have hope because you are with me. Thank you for pouring your love into my heart through your Holy Spirit. Remind me of the hopeful future awaiting me, not only because I can trust your intervention in the here and now, but also because I can look forward to your glorious return.
Thank you for the gift of eternal life. Help me remember: No matter what happens today, Jesus already died for me, and I have passed from spiritual death to everlasting life. I will be with you forever.
Lord, when I see only heartbreak, tragedy, and division in the news, give me your perspective on the world. Give me eyes to see that you continue to rule over your creation and faith to trust that you continue to work out your purposes for your glory. Use me to shine your light for people around me.
Lord, make me a person of hope.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Betsy de Cruz helps overwhelmed women take small steps to invite more of God’s presence and power into their lives. Connect with Betsy to get your free Quiet Time Renewal Guide and other resources at FaithSpillingOver.com. Her book More of God is a distracted woman’s guide to more meaningful quiet times. After living in the Middle East for 16 years with her husband and two children, Betsy landed in Texas, where she still enjoys drinking chai with friends.
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