Overflowing Hope
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. “ Romans 15:13
The smell of pumpkin follows me out of the coffee shop as I leave with my cozy cup of chai in hand. I step out into the crisp air and hear the sound of crunching leaves under my feet. It’s Fall ya’ll which is one of my favorite seasons.
But, as I look around and see the leaves falling and the wind picks up I am reminded that another season is upon us and winter will soon be here. New seasons bring change and uncertainty, which can feel unsettling. The good news is we don’t have to live with uncertainty because we have a God who is constant and offers us the gift of grace to walk through any season. Isn’t it comforting to know that God has given us the grace we need to walk through each season with joy and purpose? He fills us to overflow and we can share that love and grace with others.
So, what does it mean to overflow? It means there is excess that can’t be contained. There is so much of something that it has to spill out. Isn’t that a beautiful picture of God’s love? The idea that we have so much hope & love that it is flowing out of us is a beautiful picture of goodness isn’t it? His grace is unmerited and all we need to do is accept and trust in Him. It sounds easy, but in times of trouble and hard seasons that can be difficult. If we look outward our circumstances might seem overwhelming and uncontrollable and fear can settle in.
This past year has added pressure to each decision and has been especially difficult for all of us as we experienced a global pandemic and spent time in lock down. Being shut down and isolated can take a toll on our hearts and I don’t know about you but I sure do miss hugs and smiling faces. We are walking through a time that is difficult, but through it all one thing remains and that is the constant hope we have in Jesus!
If we want to live with an overflowing hope then we need to trust in a God that loves us and offers us salvation. We need to look for light in the darkness as we keep our eyes focused on Him and not our circumstances.
Whether it is an unfulfilled dream, a loss, or a global pandemic God is with us and goes before us. He hears our cries and we can find joy in the middle of chaos through and with Him.
So, mama, what are you crying out for in this season? Is it the loss of connection, expected milestones or even health issues that leave you feeling sad or fearful? There are so many things coming at us this year and it definitely doesn’t look like we expected does it? I happen to have a senior this year so for me I am aching for all the lost moments we had planned. We missed an epic family vacation this summer and it feels like memories lost. We had planned a big celebration for her 18th birthday that is unlikely to happen and even missing the homecoming dance or senior night for sports seems like a major loss. With each missed milestone I realize that I am missing those moments as well. I know you have your moments tugging on your heart too.
Our hearts can be weighted down as we navigate this unexpected season, but we aren’t meant to carry our burdens alone. God’s gift of grace is for all of us and will lighten our load. He sees our aches and hears our cries and He will bring comfort and peace. His peace surpasses all understanding because it doesn’t have anything to do with our circumstances. So, while we are walking through these moments of disappointment may we also be walking toward a God who loves us, will comfort and bring joy that overflows.
“Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.” Psalm 30:5
Joy is offered us even in the middle of hard times because joy is not about our circumstances, but about our God! We can lift our cares through prayer and our God provides the gift of peace and grace. These gifts are already ours and all we need to do is ask.
So, if you are weary lift your concerns to God through prayer and petition and He will bring peace. When we remember it is not our circumstances that bring joy and lift our burdens up through prayer peace will follow. Our God is good and waiting to walk through our troubles with us and carry us if needed.
Through it all may we remember that we can lay our burdens down and with assurance know that God is near. His grace is sufficient and He wants us to live life abundantly as we overflow with hope and joy.
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work.” 2 Corinthians 9:8