•Thursday, June 10, 2010
"No one whose hope is in you, Lord, will ever be put to shame." Psalm 62:5 NIV
So often we are disappointed in life because we are failing to put our hope in the right place. We hope in the economy improving and assuring our job security. We hope in our savings account to give us financial security. We hope in friends and family to help us out in hard times. We hope in our spouses to meet our emotional needs. We hope in... you get the point.
When we place our hope in the Lord, we won't be ashamed. But what does it mean to hope in the Lord? We pray, don't we? We let him know what's happening in our lives and ask for his involvement. Isn't that hoping in the Lord?
As I grow in my relationship of trust with the Lord, I realize that it isn't the same thing at all. I can say all kinds of prayers, but continue to hope in all the wrong places. I can even be confident that God will answer my prayers, and still not have it quite right.
When I truly hope in the Lord, not only am I praying with expectation that God has heard and will answer my prayer, I'm also trusting that the outcome is what he willed. And that what he willed is for the best. Although I may still feel disappointment, it's balanced with the faith that my Provider has a purpose and plan in the situation. If I put my hope in the Lord, then I can also trust him to help me deal with the outcome.
So often we are disappointed in life because we are failing to put our hope in the right place. We hope in the economy improving and assuring our job security. We hope in our savings account to give us financial security. We hope in friends and family to help us out in hard times. We hope in our spouses to meet our emotional needs. We hope in... you get the point.
When we place our hope in the Lord, we won't be ashamed. But what does it mean to hope in the Lord? We pray, don't we? We let him know what's happening in our lives and ask for his involvement. Isn't that hoping in the Lord?
As I grow in my relationship of trust with the Lord, I realize that it isn't the same thing at all. I can say all kinds of prayers, but continue to hope in all the wrong places. I can even be confident that God will answer my prayers, and still not have it quite right.
When I truly hope in the Lord, not only am I praying with expectation that God has heard and will answer my prayer, I'm also trusting that the outcome is what he willed. And that what he willed is for the best. Although I may still feel disappointment, it's balanced with the faith that my Provider has a purpose and plan in the situation. If I put my hope in the Lord, then I can also trust him to help me deal with the outcome.
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