Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
When I got out of bed this morning it was 10 degrees Fahrenheit. Anyone who knows me understands that I hate winter. Having confessed that fact, God is also working to remove my complaining spirit with respect to cold weather as He has convicted me that the weather is ordained by Him and is one of those things that requires that I trust His wisdom. That said, this time of year I still long for warmer weather and look for indications that it’s coming. The first sign that gives me hope of more agreeable temperatures is the appearance of snowdrops (shown above). They are the very first flowers to blossom and snow does not bother them. My Aunt Margaret was the first to introduce me to them and they have been a staple in my garden since then as they provide the hope of spring and a reminder of the loving relationship that I had with her. The next hopeful sign is the sound of birds chirping in the early morning and the appearance of Robins. Finally, the crocuses and daffodils not only allude to warmer weather but provide color that lifts the spirit. As much happiness as the expectation of spring brings with it, there is no lasting joy or peace as I know that winter will in fact come again. In contrast, my spiritual hope is a different matter altogether as my hope in God brings with it joy and peace.
In the beginning God… (Genesis 1:1)
Just as winter in many climates is often seen as cold, bitter and depressing, so too our trials can often leave us feeling cold, bitter and depressed…if we let them. However, when we look to the God of hope, our spirits can be lifted. Matthew Henry suggests that as we come to God in prayer that we follow Paul’s example of including the attribute of God that addresses the need of the moment. When feeling hopeless, we pray to the “God of hope”; in loneliness we pray to the “God of love”; when life is out of control we seek our “Sovereign God”, etc. In short, the foundation of our hope is God alone as His character, power, and promises meet our every need. God the Father has created us with gifts and attributes to be useful in His kingdom as well as ordaining the events of our lives to fulfill the plans that He has for us; Christ has sacrificed Himself to atone for our sins and provide our reconciliation to the Father; and the Holy Spirit comforts us and guides us through the ups and downs of life keeping the hope of eternity ever before us. While other people and events in our lives may help and encourage us, in all things, God alone is our source of certain and lasting hope.
This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:19-20)
Layered on that foundation are the love, faith, and hope described in 1 Corinthians 13. Our loving bond with God gives us the security to have faith in His character and His promises. Faith then allows us to have certain hope that anchors our souls. As Hebrews 6:19 points out, it is both sure and steadfast. But it is a forward looking hope that recognizes that Christ has gone before us to bring us into eternity with God. No matter what happens in this life, God has promised that, as His children, we will be delivered safely and securely into to the eternal presence of our Father to abide forever. Our temporal lives will likely resemble a ship in stormy waters tossed about while rising and falling with the waves. However, our certain hope is that Christ anchors and sustains us in this life and delivers us safely to our eternal rest.
…by the power of the Holy Spirit.
I recall RC Sproul commenting on the fact that He wrote books about each member of the Trinity. The first two discussing God the Father and Christ did rather well, however, the third discussing the Holy Spirit was not as well received. Further, Francis Chan has written the book “Forgotten God: Reversing our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit”. Both of these speak to the fact that a spiritual pitfall is forgetting about the Holy Spirit and the power that He brings into our lives. As we endure our trials and bring our requests before God, the Holy Spirit is the one who intercedes in our prayers to make them complete. It is then through the work of the Spirit that we receive “power, love, and discipline” all of which provide what we need for spiritual warfare. Finally, it is through the power of the Holy Spirit that we receive the byproducts of hope which are peace and joy that surpass understanding as they overcome the anguish of our pain and suffering. Peace and joy are possible because we look beyond our circumstances to eternity knowing that, having accepted the gift of salvation, nothing in this life will separate us from God or prevent us from enjoying eternity with Him.
… beyond our comprehension?
Last week I started a new support group for those with chronic illness and pain that will last for the next six to eight weeks. The study is based on the book “When God Weeps.” As part of our discussion, I posed the question: “Do you trust God beyond your comprehension?” After a couple of comments, the question was redirected back at me. Without hesitation, I was able to respond with a firm “yes” because of the hope, the peace, and the joy that has been provided in my life through the work of the Holy Spirit. It is hope born not out of listening to 62 years of sermons safely nestled in a pew with life going as planned, but rather as the result of my suffering, my pain and my questions. In love God has ordained my illness and other trials (Job 2:10, Lamentations 3:32, 38, Psalm 139, Romans 8:17 among others) to give me a spirit that hungers for understanding and instruction as well as a desire to draw near to God. As a result, I have come to comprehend the following.
God, the foundation of my hope, is loving and tender. The suffering ordained for me has purpose…in fact many purposes; some relate to me directly while others are for the benefit of those with whom I am able to share my hope. In His love, tenderness, and wisdom, He rightly sets the completion of His will and my eternal security above my temporal comfort. Further, the God of hope is truly wise beyond my comprehension. While my wisdom has regularly proven to be faulty and short-sighted, His has always been perfect. As He is creator and sovereign over both the spiritual and physical realms and has orchestrated all of history (past, present and future), He knows how I fit into that plan to do His will and to glorify Him. By recognizing His love, tenderness, wisdom and power, I am able to trust that the events of my life are for His glory and my good. Steve Estes puts it this way, “Our call to suffer comes from a God tender beyond description. If we do not cling to this through life’s worst, we will misread everything and grow to hate Him.”
Christ is with me, sustains me and completely understands. (Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 28:20, and Colossians 1:17) Christ has promised to be with us always. He also promises to sustain us. Consider this: understanding the words of Colossians 1:17, it was through the Christ’s sustaining power that the soldier was able to pound the nails into our Saviors hands and feet and raise Him up to be humiliated and crucified. If Christ is willing to sustain those who tortured Him, how much more willing is He to sustain us in our suffering? Further, because of His incarnation, temptation and suffering, He completely understands our circumstances, our weaknesses, and our emotions. Because He is so equipped with understanding, He is able to intercede before the Father on our behalf…often in ways that we can’t fully express for ourselves as we come to the Father in prayer. Also, God will never ordain the depth of suffering for us that He ordained for Christ. Because Christ has born our sin and clothes us in His righteousness, we do not have to endure the Father turning away from us as He did while Christ hung on the cross. Finally, as discussed above, Christ has gone before us to lead us into eternity. All of this is done in love and compassion and provides hope for my soul.
Because of the work of the Holy Spirit to challenge me and to teach me these truths and more in my suffering, I recognize that in light of eternity my suffering is temporary. I further understand that my suffering will not separate me from God’s love. When I am called home: I will be released from sin completely and clothed in Christ’s righteousness; I will be healed of all my infirmities; I will be reunited with loved ones who have preceded me in faith and in death; and I will abide with God allowing all of my fears, doubts and concerns will dissipate forever. Because of God’s faithfulness as I suffer in this life, I put my hope in these promises for eternity. As I put my hope in God alone, the Holy Spirit provides peace and joy that is beyond comprehension.
This is my hope and my confidence as I’m tossed about by the trials of this life. While I still have my doubts and fears as new issues arise and I must address them responsibly, I have learned that I need to redirect my thoughts to the truth of scripture. Consequently, I bring to the fore that my hope in a loving God is well placed and that through the work of the Holy Spirit, I can experience peace and joy beyond comprehension as I struggle. What about you. Are you able to trust God beyond what you are able to comprehend and trust in His love and tenderness? Is God your source of hope? Are you able to allow the Holy Spirit to work in you to provide joy and peace? It is both and tender and powerful God that loves you. Put your hope in Him at all times and allow the Holy Spirit to provide the peace and the joy that you desire and need.