There is nothing like true joy is there? It is something that is felt internally and is evident in our actions and attitudes. And yet how can we go about finding joy, even when, and perhaps especially when, we are surrounded by unknowns? This past week the importance of joy has really been impressed on me.
On the one hand, I live a lovely life and I have so much to be grateful for and joyful about. But on the other hand, there are some large things going on and they can rob my attention and preoccupy my mind. Interestingly, I had the idea to pray for peace a few weeks back. Peace through the unknowns, so to speak. And then I read this Bible verse for the upteenth time and loved the new dimension I saw in it:
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in Him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. – Romans 15:13
God, the Source of Hope
God is most definitely my source of hope! Hope is dear to me and I believe it is important to never lose sight of it. When people give up, I think it is because they have lost hope.
But did you know hope has an interesting dimension to it? It can also be translated as wait. This to me says that we must hope patiently and expectantly. Hope is patient and hope is confident! What God has presented, He will bring to pass! And if not this dream, then something even better.
Remembering that He is the source of hope is priceless! And waiting gracefully in Him grows our faith and our character. It is really of no consequence to hope for something and then see it come about in a few hours. Yes, we often have small victories and realizations like this, but if they were all this quickly rewarded we wouldn’t have reason to practice faith and grow our confident hope!
Will Fill You Completely with Joy and Peace Because You Trust in Him
Here’s the part that stuck out particularly to me this past week – will fill you completely with joy and peace because You trust in Him. Completely. What a powerful word! It doesn’t say will fill you pretty well or will fill you some but will fill you completely!
Lately, I have been asking God for peace in my heart as I wait on Him. In the grand scheme of things waiting a week, a month, or a year isn’t that big a deal, but the minute by minute and hour by hour can be difficult. I can grow impatient wondering how things will work out. And yet it is in these times that I seek God more, I want to understand what He is doing, how I might better become who He has created me to be. My reminder to both you and myself is that hard times are good, they teach us how to grow!
And so as I have prayed about things this week I have thanked Him for the direction He has led me, thanked Him for the peace He gives me in the waiting, and ask Him to help me find sincere joy in this time. I do trust Him beyond a shadow of a doubt and so to learn how to live this out is such an opportunity! That doesn’t mean it is easy or comfortable, but I know it is more than worth it! He is a good, good Father and as much as I can’t wait to see what is ahead, I want to do the here and now remarkably well.
Then You Will Overflow with Confident Hope through the Power of the Holy Spirit.
Just look at that – overflow with confident hope. Wow! Not be filled with but overflow! What an abundance He gives us! Ooh, how I want to be peaceful and joyful and overflow with confident hope in Him!
And in my own way, I’m figuring out how to cultivate this hope that He has given me. I’ve taken to reminding myself and Him in prayer what I believe He has said to me. And I ask Him to direct my heart and my thoughts to what He has for me. Make Your plans my dreams, I pray. I thank Him for peace in the waiting and joy in the in between moments. And I finish with claiming a confident hope that only He can give!
As the saying goes, we don’t know what the future holds, but we do know Who holds the future!
I pray this blesses and encourages you! Don’t give up on your dreams even if they seem slow in coming, but I do encourage you to ask God to finetune your dreams so that you can pursue His will for your life!
Until Next Time!
Hope.
PS. Keep reading: https://www.theamericanlady.com/2018/04/11/your-plans-my-dreams/