iShineInMinistry

Jeremiah 29:11 (HCSB)

“For I know the plans I have for you” – this is the Lord’s declaration – “plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

Once again this area of scripture keeps popping up in my line of vision and I find myself clinging to the words that the Lord promises for dear life when things do not go my way. The interesting part about my future and hope is that I have no earthly idea what area of my life this is pertaining to…it could be my career-path, my life in New York, my singleness or a menagerie of other fabulous things floating through my mind at this present time. I am sure that many of you wonderful ladies also have your hope for something that you want to come in the near future, but I must ask you (and myself), where is your hope right now?

Is your hope deferred?

Proverbs 13:12 (KJV)

Hope deferred maketh the heart sick; but [when] the desire cometh, [it is] a tree of life.

For some of us that have been waiting for something for a particularly long time, hope may be faltering or wavering on empty. You may be sick of hoping for that matter. If this is the place we find ourselves in, we must guard our hearts so that we do not react in the flesh or do something rash because our fickle feelings tell us to do so. While it may be hard to wait, day in and day out, for that hope that is not even glimmering yet, do not give up for a cheap imitation of what you are waiting for, that will only make the outcome worse.

Is your hope enduring?

Romans 8:25 (NET)

But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with endurance.

Are you enduring in hope right now? Maybe you cling to the fact that God is faithful and even when you have bad days; you know that your Lord will come through…even if it isn’t in your timing. We can seek Him and ask Him for strength to continue as He orchestrates each and every element, all the small and big details and we will finally see one day that our enduring hope was not in vain.

Are you blessed with hope?

Jeremiah 17:7 (NKJV)

“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord.”

God is faithful, amazing and perfect in His ways…you know this to be true. Whether or not you can see what He is up to, you choose to say yes to joy; to wait patiently, be a blessed person and an encourager to those around you in the meantime as you allow Him to work in your life. You stay in that blessed attitude and spread the sparkle to all those around you that need a little more hope in their lives. Depending on who it is, you may be the only demonstration of Christ’s love they ever see! Continue in that blessed hope!

No matter where your hope is today, please know that God can meet you right where you are and guide you through each and every step as He brings you to what you are hoping for. Stay the course, stand strong in the faith and trust in Him always. Even though you don’t see it yet, please know that God is a keeper of His promises. Be joyful as you hope in Him.

Hebrews 11:1 (ESV)

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.