"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15:13, ESV
When the clock struck midnight, were you sad to see 2023 go or joyfully looking forward to a new year?
I can easily recall the tough parts of the year but struggle to remember the blessings. Maybe you can relate?
Are the nights you spent restlessly worrying about money fresh in your memory?
Do you fixate on the squabbles with your spouse or the moments you feel you failed as a parent?
Or maybe 2023 will forever be stamped in your mind as the year of tragedy.
These often, automatic negative thoughts are a slippery slope to cynicism. If we aren't careful, we assume that tomorrow will bring the same, if not more, hardships as today. But God doesn’t want us to dread the days ahead.
The Bible says this is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 18:24).
We will always feel disappointed if we look to our circumstances as our source of joy. Because even if the past year contained good times, those happy feelings are fleeting. Our key verse tells us where we can experience true hope for the future.
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope." Romans 15:13, ESV
Our hope comes from God. Our circumstances are always changing, but our God never changes. And the Bible says He is a God of hope! He fills us with joy, which is much more substantial and durable because, unlike happiness, joy is accessible despite our circumstances. When we believe, God gives us peace. We can experience perfect peace by knowing Christ, in the good times and the hard times because we know the Prince of Peace—Jesus!
Finally, as believers, we are not called to be filled with cynicism, the Bible says we are filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is our seal. This means we are marked as belonging to Christ for all eternity. God gave us the Holy Spirit as a guarantee, a down payment of sorts, to ensure us that we will receive every promise (Ephesians 1:13-14). Our earthly years don't need to be defined by good or bad circumstances because our hope is eternal. We have a glorious inheritance in heaven awaiting us after this life is over.
Christ has ascended and is preparing a place for us. In this life, we will endure trials and hardships as God purifies us to reflect His image. But we can also abound in hope knowing that He will complete the work He starts in His people. He is making all things new, including you and me. And He will present us as perfectly spotless before the throne of God. And we are going to enjoy a completely redeemed existence for all eternity with God and His people forever. No more tears, heartbreak, or disappointing years or memories.
As we look ahead to the New Year, may we remind ourselves of these truths. Instead of dwelling on the hard things that happened in the past, may we remember that we belong to a God of hope. Let us look toward 2024 with hope that is grounded by keeping an eternal perspective.
Let’s pray:
Jesus,
We lament those hardships we faced last year and lay them at your feet. I pray you comfort us where we need healing. Lord, I also ask that we look at the year ahead with a sense of hope and not dread or cynicism. Help us to remember we have access to joy, peace, and hope in 2024 because we belong to you. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/AntonioGuillem
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Originally published Friday, 12 January 2024.
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