{"id":29508,"date":"2021-01-08T03:30:44","date_gmt":"2021-01-08T11:30:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=29508"},"modified":"2021-01-06T16:05:17","modified_gmt":"2021-01-07T00:05:17","slug":"january-8-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2021\/01\/08\/january-8-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"January 8, 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"
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“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.”\u00a0<\/em>Hebrews 10:23<\/p>\n

Keeping Hope Alive<\/strong><\/h2>\n

I’ve been home from the hospital for several weeks now.\u00a0I’m definitely feeling better and gaining a little strength, but it’s very slow going.\u00a0I pray for full healing and restoring of strength and health.<\/p>\n

In times of difficulty, one of the first things the enemy does is try to get us to lose hope.\u00a0Proverbs 29 tells us that without vision (hope), the people perish.\u00a0When hope dies in our hearts, it impacts everything else in our lives.\u00a0Hope is the flame that needs to burn bright in our hearts to keep us focused on God and His plans for us.<\/p>\n

I’ve always known this, believed this, but I’ve been learning again how important it is during my time in the hospital and in my recovery time now.\u00a0 God has been speaking very clearly into my heart to “keep hope alive.” It’s something I must actively work at. It doesn’t just happen.\u00a0There are several key things I’ve found helpful.<\/p>\n

The first is to focus on the promises in the Word.\u00a0His Word is powerful\u2014a mighty tool that we can use.\u00a0It’s important to read, speak out, and pray His promises. I claim them as I lift them in prayer.\u00a0He is always with us\u2014never leaves us.\u00a0He goes before us to guide us.\u00a0He leads us through the valley times\u2014we don’t need to fear anything we are walking through. He is right with us, helping us along the way. He is our Rock, our strength, our shelter, our help.\u00a0He is all we need.\u00a0In difficult moments, I focus on Him. His grace helps me get through the hard times.<\/p>\n

I’ve also found it important to keep my mind occupied\u2014staying centered on the promises I’ve read.\u00a0If I let my mind wander, it can easily lead to discouragement, hopelessness, and anxiety.\u00a0I love the verse from Philiippians 4:8 that speaks to this: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable\u2014if anything is excellent or praiseworthy\u2014think about such things.”\u00a0<\/em>Such clear instruction about the power and importance of what we think about.\u00a0When I’m struggling or having a hard day, I find this verse to be such a powerful guideline.<\/p>\n

Praise and worship is another important key.\u00a0I’ve found that in my weakness as I choose to speak out statements of worship, it releases power and strength to me.\u00a0Worship is powerful.\u00a0The Lord loves our worship.\u00a0I recently read that there are more verses in the Bible about praise and worship than there are about prayer.\u00a0God knew how much we would need the “tool” of worship. It dispels darkness. It strengthens us.\u00a0It puts things in their right perspective. It takes our attention from ourselves and our needs to the Almighty God who meets our needs.<\/p>\n

Focusing on His promises, keeping our thoughts centered on Him, and worshipping Him for His goodness\u2014all are helpful in keeping hope alive in our hearts.<\/p>\n

Lord, our hope is in You, for You are faithful.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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