Hope

 February 26, 2024

“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 

There are many benefits to living in modern USA. We have pretty good health care, a standard of living far beyond the wildest dreams of most of the world’s people, opportunities that beckon millions of immigrants, both legal and illegal.

There are some drawbacks too. In spite of the benefits and blessings, the rate of drug abuse and suicide, especially among young people, is catastrophic. I believe much of it is driven by the isolation fomented by social media, the breakdown of the family, the constant barrage of bad news from major media, and the secularization of our society and its resulting loss of faith and hope.

Most young adults don’t know where to turn for good news. They’ve been sold a bill of goods by society; they’ve been told that they are oppressed and deprived, and at the same time, are told there isn’t anything they can do about it. When kids are told they can choose their gender identity without regard to biology, and  that how they feel is paramount and unchangeable, the normal confusion of those years becomes a permanent trap and an unbearable burden. 

If I only look around me, I too, would be depressed and discouraged. There isn’t a lot of good news in the world today, which is why the promises of Scripture are so important to me. My hope is in the Lord who sees and holds the future securely in his grip. He is Lord whether I believe it or not, but it is in believing, in trusting in him that hope springs up. That hope engenders joy and peace. I don’t have to worry about tomorrow if I am trusting in Christ. And if I’m not worrying, I can be joyful and enjoy peace. 

The key to it all is trust. I must decide if I will place my trust in a God I cannot see, or in the events I see unfolding all around me. The flip side of it is this: If I am lacking in joy and peace, it is indication that my faith and trust needs adjusting. And that happens only when I dive into the Scriptures. Earlier in Romans 15, Paul reminds us that it is “through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures” that we have hope (v.4), and that “faith comes by…the Word of God” (Romans 10:17).