Hope It’s A Good Thing by Brandy Webb
I know I have written quite a few blogs about facing trials here lately. In fact, I didn’t even realize, until last week, the flowing theme that has been in my past few blogs. I guess it just shows that, obviously, I am currently in the midst of various trials.
Well, I want to focus on hope today. My family and I love rainbows. It is almost a game for us to try to be the first to spot a rainbow when all the needed conditions are met. We like rainbows because not only are they beautiful, but for us they remind us that the first rainbow was a sign from God. They bring us hope and joy when we see them. It is the one thing that we still see that was created in Noah’s time. Don’t worry, we don’t worship the rainbow, we worship God. It is just awesome to behold such a wonder in the sky knowing that an ancestor from thousands of years ago got to witness the first one.
Rainbows give me hope, and last week we got to witness some awesome rainbows. On our way home on Pentecost, my family and I were discussing all the great edifying things we learned over the weekend. We also were encouraging each other about the trials we were facing here and there, knowing God will see us through. Then we look, and low and behold, we were blessed to see not just one rainbow but double rainbows. I may sound weird, but it gave me goose-bumps and increased my hope. Then the following day, the kids and I got to see a fully complete, all-the-way-across-the-sky rainbow. You could see all the colors. It was awesome! I just wish I had a good enough camera to have captured it.
I realize that we can explain rainbows through science, but to me they are more spiritual. It is a sign of a promise from God Himself, and when I see them it brightens my day and gives me hope. Hope is a God thing. It is a beginning force that keeps us moving forward towards our goals. We cannot have faith without hope first.
Now faith is the assurance that what we hope for will come about and the certainty that what we cannot see exists (Hebrews 11:1, ISV).
Hope leads to faith, and without faith we cannot please God (Hebrews 11:6). Hope begets faith and faith gives God pleasure. Therefore, if we don’t have hope, we don’t have faith, and we displease God. Thankfully, hope is one of the fruits of the Spirit. God’s Spirit in us ignites the hope within us, which then leads to the beginning faith of a mustard seed. Everything works hand in hand like a well-oiled machine. Therefore, don’t ever lose hope. Hold fast to it, and enjoy the wonders of God’s mighty hand in your life and in creation around us.
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