Joy and Peace Through 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, NIV)

I pray that the God who gives hope will fill you with much joy and peace as you trust in Him. Then you will have more and more hope, and it will flow out of you by the power of the Holy Spirit. – (Romans 15:13, ERV)

I pray that God, the Source of all hope, will infuse your lives with an abundance of joy and peace in the midst of your faith so that your hope will overflow through the power of the Holy Spirit. – (Romans 15:13, VOICE)

 

Hope is where it all begins. When we have hope, we have all that is required to live an abundant life. Hope is that knowing deep within us, that there is more than what we are experiencing in the here and now. The hope that comes from God is eternal, and grants peace and joy, even in the parts of our journey where such things do not make sense. In fact, hope in Him, fills us to overflowing, so much so, that the peace and joy present within us, begin to spill over into the lives of those around us. My mom is an incredible example of this. Despite having suffered a massive stroke that left the right side of her body uncooperative, she has hope for healing, and the peace and joy that she holds in her heart, overflow to those around her as she navigates this journey to her recovery. Yes, she is human and has tough moments, but truly, she has joy and peace and is filled with hope for a full recovery as she perseveres in this battle. Her willingness to do the work has already aided in her regaining much of what was lost. She is walking with a walker, and her speech is back to normal. Though waiting and working on the right arm, she is trusting in the hope that she already knows. May we all be filled with His hope, so that peace and joy are abundant and hope overflows by His Spirit within us.

The greatest update about mom for yesterday was that her medical insurance card finally arrived. With that, appointments can be scheduled and in-home therapies can begin soon. I imagine much of the day was quite routine, with walking and stretching, some games and perhaps a movie or two. At day’s end, I received a Marco Polo video from mom and my sister as I was about to go to sleep. It was a sweet close to my day, and a blessed encouragement, assuring me that all is well.

 

May the God of hope,

Come fill you today;

With peace and His joy,

And flood you with grace.

For God’s tenderness,

Meets our hearts and minds;

Brings calm in chaos,

His presence, divine.

So, trust in the Lord,

Lean full into Him;

His hold is steady,

As we let love in.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that Your hope fills us with joy and peace to overflowing. Thank You that as we hope in You, our faith grows, and we see You move mountains that stand before us. Forgive us for our fears and doubts. Teach us to trust You more, no matter what we see standing in our way. Show us how to love, support and encourage those around us in a way that offers peace, joy and hope where it is lacking. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in You. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. – Hebrews 6:19

Finding Perfect Peace

You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in You. – (Isaiah 26:3, NIV)

God, You give true peace to people who depend on You, to those who trust in You. – (Isaiah 26:3, ERV)

You will keep the peace, a perfect peace, for all who trust in You, for those who dedicate their hearts and minds to You. – (Isaiah 26:3, VOICE)

 

When we choose to trust in the Lord with all of our heart, mind, soul and strength, we discover His peace, regardless of what surrounds us. Perfect peace holds our hearts steady through the throes of life’s storms. May we ever depend on the Lord, choosing to trust in Him, for He is our source of true and perfect peace.

 

Perfect peace is found,

By those who choose trust;

In God forever,

He’s faithful and just.

No matter what comes,

Those who choose to stand;

Strength in the battles,

Unending peace planned.

So, trust in the Lord,

Seek Jesus for peace;

Hearts that are seeking,

Find God’s grace released.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our perfect peace, no matter what comes our way. Thank You that You are the same God whether life is tumultuous as when all is well. Thank You that You grant us Your perfect peace through all things as we seek and depend on You. Forgive us for allowing our focus to fix on the problem rather than You, our solution. Teach us to trust and rely on You more. Show us how to love those around us in a way that extends Your perfect peace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust in You in all things, as Your perfect peace You bring to all who seek You. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. – Matthew 5:9

Shared Strength in the Struggle

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. – (Galatians 6:2, NLT)

Help each other with your troubles. When you do this, you are obeying the law of Christ. – (Galatians 6:2, ERV)

Love empowers us to fulfill the law of the Anointed One as we carry each other’s troubles. – (Galatians 6:2, TPT)

 

Yesterday was just one of those days. From my own children fighting on the way to school and work, to students struggling behaviorally all day long, by the time the bell rang to signify the close of the school day, I was exhausted. A few colleagues extended kind and encouraging words as I sought solutions to make preparations to alleviate the difficulties that I could control within my own classroom. Upon returning home, I was greeted by listening ears, that were supportive and solution-oriented. The boys all had work or activities to occupy their evening, so a bonus date night was bestowed upon me. Treasured time to relax and connect were exactly what my heart needed most, and the burden that had weighed so heavily upon me at the end of my school day, had now been lifted and replaced with fresh resolve. Love, help and support make a world of difference to the bearer of burdens, and doing such, is walking in obedience to Christ. May we ever extend help or a listening ear to those who are struggling, for doing so lightens the load and is an act of loving obedience, according to God’s good and perfect will.

 

May we choose to walk,

With eyes open wide;

Aware of struggles,

And come alongside.

Draw near to hurting,

Burdened or in need;

Help carry the weight,

Let the Lord’s love lead.

For as we draw near,

To help each other;

Burdens become light,

And grace discovered.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that we are not meant to carry burdens nor struggle alone. Thank You for the people whom You place in our lives that come along side us, and those whom we are meant to walk beside. Forgive us for not reaching out to those we see in the struggle, or for pretending all is well when it is not. Teach us to trust You more, as You are greater than any difficulty we face, and You never leave us nor forsake us. Show us how to love, support and encourage those around us in a way that lightens the load they are bearing. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we both reach out to give and readily receive Your mercy that is new every morning. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. – Psalm 68:19