A Prayer for Hope

Dear Encouragement Sisters,

Would you consider yourself a hopeful person?

When everyone around you is saying, “gloom and doom,” are you typically the one who says things like…

“There’s light at the end of the tunnel!”

“There’s something better around the corner!”

“There’s always hope!”

If you are one of those hopeful people, I’d just like to say, “Thank you and God bless you!”

I’m afraid I can be someone who is awfully “doomy and gloomy” at times. While it’s in my heart to encourage, there are definite moments when the glass is half empty, and in my mind, will never be full again!

Can anyone relate?

It was during World War 2 when Dutch sisters Corrie and Betsie ten Boom were held in concentration camps that the older sister, Betsie, was able to see the best in the situation. Though severely malnourished and housed in a flea-ridden barrack in Ravensbruck, Betsie was heard saying…

“Give thanks in all circumstances. It doesn’t say, ‘in pleasant circumstances’. Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.”

My sisters, how could it be that she was able to give thanks, to be so faithful and hopeful?

Today, I’d like to pray for hope.

Here are a few Scriptures to lead us…

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:5)

Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Romans 8:24-26)

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. (Romans 13:15)

With these beautiful truths in mind, let’s pray…

Gracious God, our God of hope, we come to You today, each in our different seasons of life. Lord, we admit that sometimes our minds are full of hopeless thoughts. We get so discouraged, Lord, that we lose sight of all we have to be grateful for.

So today, Lord, we call out to You, in thankfulness and praise. We lay down all “gloom and doom” thoughts in exchange for Your thoughts.

Love, joy, peace, goodness, and hope…these are the beautiful things we focus on now. Thank You. Thank You for never running out of hope. We draw from Your endless reservoirs of hope today.

In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Like me, are you sensing some newfound hope? Are you looking at the glass “half-full”?

Grateful to be on this journey of hope with you,

Jennifer

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