Inside Out 21

 Today’s devo is powerful for me. I’m editing the text a bit for my notes:

The more my focus is on wanting my desires fulfilled circumstances, rather than on God, I am more vulnerable to experiencing hopelessness. Is my hope in having an intimate relationship with the God of the universe or is my hope in circumstances, appearance, status? Is my hope that friends and family are safe and secure without sickness, pain, or death? Is my hope places in avoidance of stress and problems? When my hope is in circumstances, my heart will be disappointed, discouraged, stuck in hopelessness and despair. 

Psalm 43:5 says, “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” My greatest hope is in His love. In God’s love, He created us and has a purpose for our lives.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father, I want to pray Romans 15:13 into my life.  “May the God of hope fill me with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit I may abound in hope.” I also pray 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 into my life. “Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, comfort my heart and establish me in every good work and word.” Help me to experience Your love in such a way that I abound in hope. Amen. 

“We must learn to cast off our anxieties because we have so many of them. The world destroys spiritual life by generating constant anxiety. Jesus said that the life of the gospel is choked out by the cares of this world. We know this to be true yet we are more chained and tethered to the world than ever before in the human race.” - John Ortberg, Love Beyond Reason