Hope

Yesterday I walked into the office and the first thought that crossed my mind was, “Do I have to sit at that desk all day long.” 

And that’s when you know it’s going to be a really long day and you’re going to have to do something to lift your spirits.  With the weather being so dreary and gray, looking out the window isn't much help.

So there I sat at my desk dreading another day of the same old stuff…  Hmmm what am I going to do to turn this day around because it’s going downhill very fast and it’s only 8am.  I went to biblegateway.com to see what the verse of the day was.  I generally look stuff up on biblegateway.com but didn't realize until the day before that they did a verse of the day.  I just happened to notice the verse of the day on Monday as I was clicking out of it.   I was almost dreading looking for fear that it might condemn me even more for thoughts of not wanting to be at work.  And there on the screen before me was the following verse.

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 15:13

Reading that verse was certainly uplifting.  I wish I could say that I was immediately filled with joy and peace.  Honestly I was still facing another day of sitting at that same desk.

Though the weather is cold and dreary, the hope of spring is showing!

What words in the verse stand out to me:  God, hope, fill, joy, peace, trust, overflow, power, Holy Spirit.  They are some awesome, powerful words both as a stand alone or when strung together.  They are meant to be defining words.  How could I become those words.  How could they permeate every part of my being.  How can I live into the promise of Romans 15:13. 

Well I don’t know the answer.  However I do know that I decided to focus on those words.  God, hope, joy, peace, trust, overflow, power, Holy Spirit.  Saying them over and over in my head throughout the day.  Writing them on a piece of paper where I could see from a glance.  

If I read and understand this verse correctly and I may or may not be but if I am then it’s my job  responsibility to do the trusting and He does the filling to overflowing.  

Spring is coming, I promise!

Hope is the desire for positive outcome related to events and circumstances in one's life.

To trust in the God of hope.  That seems like a no brainer. A God of hope promises that he will be with us throughout our daily lives and in all our joys and trials.  A God of hope is the foundation for a positive outcome in the events and circumstances of my life.  My hope is in God.  He is bigger than the circumstance of today.  Trust today in the God of hope for all your tomorrows.

I think hope is displayed in the buds on the trees in these pictures.  It's been an unusual winter for us.  More snow and ice than a normal winter, many bitterly cold days.  I've heard the term polar vortex numerous times this winter.  And yet the promise of Spring is coming.  Spring officially arrives tomorrow.  Not sure we're done with winter weather yet.  But the hope of Spring with its warmer weather, Sunshine, gentle breeze, flowers budding, is peeking out of nature.  It's going to win!