Scriptures of Hope: Rooted in His Word

Good morning reader and welcome to August! For me, August symbolizes a transition. It's a month of change--back to school, back to work (if you're a teacher), the end of summer vacation, the reintroduction of routine. If you're a fall girl like me, it's basically honorary autumn. You begin transitioning your home decor, anticipating the Starbucks fall drinks, and maybe even begin planning your Friendsgiving menu and Christmas shopping lists. Only me? Okay.

The thing about transitions is that what feels like the re-establishment of order can actually disrupt the norm. We must be rooted in seasons of transition and in seasons when it feels like nothing is changing. We must be rooted in His word.

A few Sunday's ago, my pastor said, whatever you're standing in hope for make sure that hope is rooted in scripture. God's word is His promise to us--His promise of who He is, how He sees us, and what He'll do in our lives and in our world.

So, I thought to myself, what scriptures do I come back to when the hopelessness sets in? What scriptures do I come back to when the devil starts whispering "you'll never..." "He'll never..." "it'll never..." And how would I feel if I held onto those scriptures a little tighter rather than crawling my way back to them after the latest spiral?

I decided to write down at least one verse or reference one story in the Bible for every fear or doubt the enemy tries to hurt me with. Today, I'll share them with you and encourage you to do the same.

Scriptures of Hope

When I feel like I'm running out of time to have children, I remember the story of Abraham and Sarah. "Is anything too hard for the Lord?" Genesis 18:14. God's promises aren't limited by time or our physical vessel. God brings dead things back to life. God makes the impossible possible.

When I feel like God doesn't care about my prayers, I remember the story of Hannah. God hears our prayers even when He is silent and it feels like He doesn't care.

When I feel like God's goodness doesn't apply to me, I remember He is the giver of good gifts.

"No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly." Psalm 84:11

"Every good and perfect gift is from above..." James 1:17

When I feel like wanting to get married is a bad thing, I remember God created marriage and said it was not good for man to be alone. "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him." Genesis 2:18

When I feel like God is withholding from me to punish me, I remember the sacrifice of His Son. "If He did not spare His own Son, will He not graciously give us all things we truly need?" Romans 8:32

When I feel like God only cares about my needs and not my desires, I remember He delights in taking care of me--not just in providing for my needs, but in meeting the desires of my heart. "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him; and He will act." Psalm 37:4-5"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened...If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in Heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!" Matthew 7:7-11

Stand on scripture and your hope will not be shaken.

Going back to Abraham and Sarah, it is said that Abraham hoped against hope. Our pastor explained that hope is the same as expectation. That isn't how hope feels, is it? Usually, when we say we hope something will happen, it's a longing we desire to be met but aren't sure if it actually will. It would be a surprise, unexpected, or an answered prayer if we received what we'd been hoping for.

Hope feels like a fragile word, but when we put our hope in the Lord, it becomes firm.

Abraham's reality told him you'll never be a father. You're old. You're past your prime. Your wife's womb has been shut up and likely, His part wasn't working too well either. Reality told him to expect to die without an heir. But God stepped in and said trust me. So, Abraham trusted that what the Lord said would come to pass despite what His reality, His body told him to expect. He hoped against hopelessness.

Our reality is always writing a story, and it's hard to hope against what we see and feel. I fall short again and again. But to complete this exercise, I decided to use my scriptures of hope to write a new narrative.

If I live my life according to hope in the Lord and not the expectations my circumstances are creating, then, I would say:

It doesn't matter how much time passes or the limitations of my physical body. If I'm meant to bear children, I will.

God withholds no good thing from me. A spouse is a good thing--God says so--therefore I believe I will be married in God's timing.

God cares about the desire of my heart and He gives us that which we ask for. I will keep praying for my future marriage and that God will transform me into the wife who is a blessing and can hold the blessing He seeks to bestow on me.

God does not give an imperfect gift. The marriage I'm waiting for will be good. It is worth the wait, and if it never comes, it wouldn't have been good.

What are you standing in hope for?

Which scriptures serve as the foundation for your hope?

Write a new narrative rooted in His word, His character, and His love for you that contradicts the one reality is trying to write.

May God bless you on your way. 🤎