Weekly Devotional: Saving hope (6 in Romans series)

For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:18–30 (NIV)

In my twenties, I experienced a crash in my faith when I suffered several big disappointments, including a failed romance and the falling through of new job in a new city. In the midst of the aftermath of my shattered hopes and dreams, a friend prayed for me. She knew that I was low on hope, and mentioned in her prayers Proverbs 13:12: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” The simple fact of being able to name my heart-sickness from my deferred hope actually gave me hope, for I realized that the longings I harbored might one day come true. Which was the case – some decades later!

Paul continues to tell the church at Rome about the picture of the new life in Christ, one in which Christians are defined by hope. Though we suffer and though we fail, we long and hope for God’s coming in our lives – now and in the age to come. And we see in verse 26 how God through his Spirit yearns with us – when we pray, we are joined by the Spirit, who intercedes for God’s people according to God’s will. What a winning combination that is!

During that crash of faith, I found my stores of hope were sorely depleted but were never completely empty. I knew that the Lord had the power to change me and to alter my circumstances, even if I didn’t know how or when that would happen. Having a friend pray with me lifted me out of my troubles and helped me to sense that God loved me and hadn’t abandoned me. I was given the gift of being able to hope once again.

Prayer: Father God, when we lose hope, please send us the Scripture, song or friend we need that we may trust in you again. And may we be those who bring this hope to others.