EVANS GIBSON: WE DON’T GRIEVE LIKE THOSE WHO’RE PAINED WITHOUT HOPE!, WE’VE HOPE ON SO MANY LEVELS ®™✓ INN Nigeria ©

No mere man has ever seen, heard, or even imagined what wonderful things God has ready for those who love the Lord.  (I Corinthians 2:9)

It’s been a blessed month not to say the contrary. God is already acting in the situations I’ve brought to Him. This, I KNOW, though my human eyes don’t see it just yet.

I would love to think that the I Corinthians 2 passage was a description of the Christian life here on earth.  However, I can tell you from hard experience, often it’s not.  Troubles and heartaches come calling, unannounced, and they hurt.

Oh, absolutely, a bazillion times over, I’d rather live this sometimes-difficult life in relationship with the Lord! However, a relationship with the Lord does not guarantee a consistently blissful life! Tragedy hits.  Stress happens.  Disappointments devastate.  Like our Lord, we grieve, and we grieve deeply.

But we do not grieve like those who are in pain without HOPE! We have hope on so many levels.  This capital-H Hope is so much more than simply wishful thinking. Christ-followers can KNOW that it’s not over, the enemy has not won, and it is definitely going to get better.

• The Hope of eternity with God.  We have the blessed Hope that we will be with God forever after we exit this world. He has prepared a magnificent place for us, an environment of pure Love and beauty, greater than we could ever imagine.
• The Hope that God will bring us through.  He has promised to walk with us through anything, even those problems of our own making, when we call on Him and cling to Him.  He sees the beginning from the end, and whatever has happened does have an end.  He will not only bring us through it, He will miraculously cause it all to work together for our good. Though it’s “not good,” He will bring good from it.
• The Hope that we always still have purpose. You can’t mess up enough for God to lift your purpose in life from you. Though your circumstances may change, His purposes don’t.  You can always find opportunities right where you are to live His purposes for you.
• The Hope that our God is still on His throne, and He’s not stumped. You may be totally scratching your head and not be able to see how all of this could possibly work out.  God was not taken by surprise here.  All of His plans for you already took it all into account.  God is in control.  You and I are not!
• Our Hope in HIM.  To simplify and sum up our Hope, it’s in Christ!  He has made the way for you and me to have all that we need, no matter what.  He has torn down the walls and provided the open Arms for us, sinful folks that we are, to be in an intimate, covenant relationship with God. My mistakes are exchanged for His perfection.  My pain is ultimately replaced by His peace.  My soul’s unrest finds His beautiful rest in the knowledge of all He is and all He has provided.  HE IS MY HOPE! (And yes, I’m shouting it!)

So even in an oh-so-stressful season, you and I can say, “It is well with my soul.” We can put one foot in front of the other and keep going because we know our ultimate destinations.  Better times are definitely ahead!

O God, thank You for being my Hope!  I praise You that nothing can happen in my life that catches You off guard or puzzles You.  I appreciate the fact that You make a way when there is no way.  You are on the throne, and I honor You as Lord of my life

THIS IS DECLARING HOPE FOR YOU!