My friend was overwhelmed by her situation. I could hear a sense of hopelessness in her voice. As I prayed for her I remember the blessing in Romans 15:13 "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." "So that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope" this hope, this holy confidence isn't something I have to work up on my own it's a gift.
I like my friend have often been confronted with situations that take my breath away and make me want to retreat from life. Jesus understood and before He left He gave His disciples and us a gift. "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth...I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."(John 14:15-18) The realities of life sometimes crush me but the Spirit of truth speaks to me of a confident expectation of good because I am loved by the God of hope.
This hope that comes to me by the power of the Holy Spirit is not escapism. Instead I find that when I open my eyes to the truth being revealed to me by the Spirit of God I also receive strength and courage to go forward and not shrink back in fear. God not only gives me hope but He also fills my heart with an unexplainable sense of joy and peace. I think part of the reason I experience this joy and peace is because no matter where I am or what I'm facing Jesus promised me the "Helper" would be with me forever.
The "Helper," the "Spirit of truth" reminds me in the midst of my earthy struggles that, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will."(Ephesians 1:11) Before Jesus left He said He was going away to prepare a place for us. But for now while we wait for His return we have the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our inheritance giving hope, joy and peace.
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