Hope
By David Chang, Director of Ministry Support
2020 has been a tough year with the COVID-19 pandemic bringing illness and death, the economic downturn bringing hunger and homelessness, and the elections bringing division and uncertainty. Surveys taken by various public health agencies have shown that the majority of Americans are experiencing an increase in anxiety and depression. In the midst of all this dark news, there’s been interesting articles about hope published by governmental health agencies and professional medical journals. They detailed how hope and optimism would improve physical, mental, and emotional health. It’s interesting that scientists and medical professionals would show a direct linkage between hope and health. That nudged me to look at what the Bible says about hope.
There are lots of verses in the Bible about hope. One that stuck out for me is in Romans 5:
3 We also celebrate in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces patience, 4 patience produces a well-formed character, and a character like that produces hope. 5 Hope, in its turn, does not make us ashamed, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
It grabbed me because this explains what is going on with me right now.
“CELEBRATE IN OUR SUFFERINGS” – God knows that we are suffering. He sees the sickness, poverty, and division that sin has brought to us. I realize that God is not ignoring what is happening to us. I realize that He is holding back disease so it does not take our lives. He is providing provision so we do not starve. He is giving us sanctuary so unrest does not injure us.
“SUFFERING PRODUCES PATIENCE, PATIENCE PRODUCES A WELL-FORMED CHARACTER” – I am super patient when there is no suffering going on ☺! Impatience brings about all kinds of health issues for me and conflict with those around me. So I need to realize suffering builds patience in the same way resistance in exercising builds endurance.
AND A CHARACTER LIKE THAT PRODUCES HOPE – There it is, that’s how I get hope. There are no shortcuts. Some of those articles distinguish hope and optimism. They say that optimism is passive, just wishing for things to change for the better. Hope, on the other hand, is active. Hope is taking action to change. It means praying, reading the Bible, meeting with other Christians, bringing blessings to people around you.
HOPE, IN ITS TURN, DOES NOT MAKE US ASHAMED, BECAUSE THE LOVE OF GOD HAS BEEN POURED OUT IN OUR HEARTS THROUGH THE HOLY SPIRIT WHO HAS BEEN GIVEN TO US – So I should be proud that our hope does not come from denying the suffering, instead it is realizing that God is loving us and equipping us with the Holy Spirit in the suffering.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, I celebrate in the suffering because through it, You are transforming me. Through it You are giving me hope. As you pour out Your love in my heart, help me to pour Your love into the heart of others. As You have equipped me with the Holy Spirit, help me to bring hope to others, especially in this first week of Advent where we celebrate hope. In Jesus name, Amen.
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