HOPE

Death of loved ones, physical limitations and pains, rejections by those we considered friends, loss of a job, loss of a family, destruction of earthly goods by natural disasters or incidents, struggles with our own sin and its resultant consequences, plus so much more in the area of trials, temptations and afflictions in this life could bring a person to utter despair, or rather, in Christ one could find hope out of the midst of despair. Our hope must rest in Christ by faith, and find its basis upon the realities of His promises. This is not a false hope or empty hope. This is not a masking or denying of the realities of pain and suffering, but instead, a way to endure the mountain of difficulties with a knowledge of an ultimate escape of such worldly troubles (only provided by God and in His timing), and a certain heavenly reward for living for someone other than ourselves in the throes of a multitude of awful experiences that would otherwise bring despair.

Don’t let the hardships of this life move your heart away from faith in God’s goodness, and thus, redirect your desires to another means to fulfill your needs. Stand in holiness toward God and continue in true love toward other believers. Since Christ is pure and loving, live a life of purity and love, for we shall see Him, be with Him, and be made like Him soon enough (1 John 2:28 - 3:3). Therefore, let Him be your all while living for Him with your all.

[Look] for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the Great God and our Savior, Jesus Christ (Titus 2:13)! Keep your eyes fixed upon Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who suffered much wrongfully, and yet bore it with the final prize in view (Hebrews 12:1-3).

Don’t let the things of this life derail you, for they are temporal, but rather live for the life that is to come in Christ that is eternal!!

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:17–18