How easy it is to get discouraged with too many overwhelming parts to
caretaking or just to life. This psalm elaborates that nothing can make him despair, if
God is with him, the future is full of hope. Despite life’s troubles, he counts on God to
restore him and commits himself to a life of praise. Depending on the moment, this
might seem to be a tall order. Yet without hope, we can be lost and without a seeming
anchor.
Our future is guaranteed by our personal relationship with God. Because He is
our God, He has plans for us and those plans are good! Yes, we may have to wait for
God’s plans for us to bear fruit. However, we can wait confidently, because our hope is
in Him. It says in 2 Timothy 2:8, “If we persevere, we shall also reign with Him.” As we
trust the Lord we persevere.
Writing for Living Faith, Vivian Amu says, “If we persevere, we will find that our
grief and disappointments do not stay with us, but God’s friendship and companionship
remain long after. If we persevere, we will see that there has never been a moment
when God walked away from us or left us in despair. If we persevere, we will
understand how eager God has been to heal our every wound.”
Gratefully, there are several Scriptures about perseverance. James 5:11,
“Indeed we call blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of the
perseverance of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, because the Lord is
compassionate and merciful.” Can you choose a persevering path? Perhaps you are
already doing that in caring for others and persevering in difficult relationships.
We find further encouragement with the many Scripture verses about hope. “For I
know well the plans I have in mind for you – oracle of the Lord, plans for your welfare
and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 Our hope is
developed and strengthened when we stand in God’s grace and do our best to
persevere. Our hope is not measured by trials, but by what we learn about the Lord.
We are led through and are reminded we will be again.
I believe Romans 5:2-5 sums it, “Through whom we have gained access by faith
to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in hope of the glory of God. Not only that,
but we even boast of our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance and
endurance, proven character, hope and hope does not disappoint, because the love of
God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to
us.” My personal favorite that I have written about before, Romans 12:12, “Rejoice in
hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer.” May we each hope and do our best to
live Romans 12:12!
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