Saturday, January 17 Devo:

HOPE AND WHERE TO FIND IT

Chuck Downs

During this fast the theme of Hope has often been on my heart and I remember times of helping people who had no hope, times when I was low, and the many times when I held onto hope desperately.

Hebrews 6:19-20 says, "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek."

HOPE is a feeling of expectation and a desire for a certain thing to happen.

HOPE: When you have it, it can carry you forward, motivate you, and get you through a hard situation. But without it, there's anxiety, despair, fear, and depression - causing you to avoid things. Even some seasons can bring a sence of hopelessness. I've had Winter Blues (SAD) issues where I felt quite hopeless.

Some people are more positive than others, some more cynical, and some naively hopeful. To counter my bias towards cynicism and "worst-case scenario" thinking, I strive to be faithfully optimistic. Some believe expecting bad outcomes will help prevent them from occuring - but the opposite is true. Looking for bad things psychologically makes them seem to happen more often. So, focusing and hoping for good outcomes will make them seem to happen more. Nelson Mandela's quote “May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears" captures my goals nicely.

HOPE placed in Jesus as our Savior, in who God is, and in all His promises are impactful things to know and hold onto. But what happens if you lose hope or are in the hole? A few verses earlier Hebrews 6 gives us one tool to help. Remember past promises fulfilled and faithful moments of God.

Hebrews 6:13-15, "When God made His promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for Him to swear by, He swore by Himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

I often reflect on God’s faithfulness in dark times. He’s helped me remain sober for 10 + years, His mercy and love saved me from hell, and He kept me out of danger on military deployments. If it wasn’t for Him I would not be blessedly married, and have a kid. He changed my character, and has kept improving me since I became a disciple of Jesus.

Hebrews 10:25 has another practical step for building hope - it's by connecting with hopeful believers and an encouraging community. I have had pastors and small groups as role models who are some of the most faithful and optimistic people I know.

(If you google "How to build hope in Jesus" you'll find more ideas.)