A Hopeful Life – Part One
“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
Jesus came to give us new life. Inherent in this new life are many wonderful blessings. Among them are joy, peace, and hope. This is the first of the three.
The biggest word in my vocabulary has 29 letters. It is floccinaucinihilipilification. It means the habit of underestimating. Don’t underestimate your worth to the Lord and what potential He has embodied in you.
Every day write across the sky of your mind: “This will be a day with all joy and peace in believing,” that will, “abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Hang this slogan on the peg board of your memory and read it often:
“Beware of the Barrenness of Busyness.”
Think in terms of your attitude and frame of mind. Evaluate it from a spiritual standpoint. Three spiritual states stimulated by the birth of Christ can make each day the best day of your life. They are found in Romans 15: 13:
The first is joy.
The Greek word “chara”is translated “joy” means “gladness,” or “delight.” It is seen in so few lives. Our text speaks of “the God of all hope” enabling, “you to abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
In case you have the mistaken impression Jesus was somber and gloomy, I would remind you He was so fun loving, so joyous, that some of His detractors accused Him of being drunk. When have you, while sober as a judge, had someone accuse you of being drunk because you were so joyous?
Once we drift away from the Biblical principles established by Christ our joy begins to fade. Study His Word daily to benefit from its blessings.
To have the joy of your salvation program your mind on the Word of God. Then you can develop a biblical worldview. This enables you to interpret the events of life in light of Scripture. You are prepared thereby to confront life’s conflicts and be a conqueror.
“Joy to the world the Lord has come. Let earth receive her King.” As you become a submissive subject in His kingdom then it becomes apparent, “joy of the Lord is your strength.” If that is true, and it is, how strong are you?
The second of the three is peace,
As a result of so little personal peace Albert Camus has called ours “an age of overt anxiety.” Worry has been termed the “official emotion of our generation.” It is the most pervasive psychological problem of our time.
Augustine was a sensual based individual until he encountered Christ. His life was filled with discontent and fear. Then he wrote of his transformation: “Thou hast touched me and I have been translated into Thy peace.”
“He, Himself, is our peace.” (Ephesians 2: 14a) Fill your mind with His word and live as if in His presence, then peace will be yours.