HOPE, COURAGE AND STRENGTH

“Be of good COURAGE, and He shall STRENGTHEN your heart, all you who HOPE in the LORD” – Psalm 31:24

God calls us to face wearisome and seemingly hopeless situations with HOPE, COURAGE and STRENGTH: “Be of good COURAGE, and He shall STRENGTHEN your heart, all you who HOPE in the LORD” (Psa.31:24). Courage and Strength take root on the grounds of Hope! These were Joshua’s secrets (Jos.1: 6-9). When Hope wanes or deems, fear and weakness take the upper hand. God would have us hope in Him, trust in Him, and rest in His promises. Someone describes Hope as a TONIC to Christian experience.

Even believers of long standing can be assaulted with the most terrible doubts and fears, but they refuse to succumb to the temptation that their case is hopeless. They choose to shut the door of their hearts whenever the devil comes with his doubt and unbelief, but rather lift up their eyes to behold the things which are eternal, and thereby receive Strength every hour. We are not to confess our doubts and amplify the trials or troubles we face, because they grow bigger every time we talk them. Remember: the trial of our faith is much more precious than gold (1Pet.1:7). It makes us valiant in fighting the battles of life.   

Living in Hope involves waiting patiently for the LORD, with courage: “Wait on the LORD; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!” (Psa.27:14). David declared in the preceding verse says: “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living” (Psa.27:13). Scripture is clear that this world is broken and won't be completely renewed until Jesus comes again. But it is also clear that God's promises are good in this age as well as the next. We can experience Him now, we can receive answers to prayer, we can enjoy restoration from past errors and deliverance from difficult situations, and we can taste of His gifts and goodness. He is a present God in present circumstances. He means for us to experience abundance in the land of the living.

We must note however that our world of micro-wave meals and digital deals, though making life easier, has conditioned us to impatience, making relationship with God much more difficult. We often assume that if things don't work out quickly, they won't work out at all; whereas, in communing with God, that is seldom the case. Divine dealings are usually a process, not a one-off event. God often has so much to say and impart in the process of communication other than the words themselves. We need patience and courage to hear Him through the pauses and tangents of life, if we must partake of His Strength.

It takes courage to remain focused on God when He seems absent or silent or the answer to prayer is lagging long after the request. The faith required to take a step forward is usually easier than the hope required to wait when everything in us is itching for a resolution. When we've asked God to speak to us, give us direction, or work out a problem, we must learn to wait until our change comes: “all the days of my hard service I WILL WAIT, till my change comes” (Job 14:14b). We’re admonished to be followers or imitators of “those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Heb.6:12).

Holding on in Hope in a situation that dictates against it, requires boldness, courage, fortitude, and patience. No matter how complicated or heavy life becomes, God is able to deal with it. His Goodness is great. His Presence is available (Psa.31: 19-20). He can turn any situation around in a moment. He may do that today, or He may take some time to accomplish His thorough work. Either way, He wants us to HOLD on to HOPE – to keep our focus on who He is in spite of what we see right now. As we keep Hope, Courage, and Strength alive, we shall enjoy God’s Great Goodness in the land of the living.