How Hopeful Are You?
1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. (NIV)
Can I just ask you to pause for a moment and take stock of how you’re feeling right now; of your emotional state? And in doing that, let me ask you, how hopeful … how hope-filled do you feel?
What this is about is helping you focus on how optimistic (or not) you are about your future. Now, sure … we feel different things at different times. Feelings can be fickle. And yet we perceive the world through our emotions. We experience life through our emotions. We bless or curse others … through our emotions. So they’re incredibly important.
So, are you feeling hopeful, or hopeless? While you’re pondering that question, drink in this powerful Word from God:
1 Peter 3:15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. (NIV)
Interesting … here’s the Apostle Peter writing to terribly persecuted Christians, assuming that they do indeed have hope. Big assumption, Pete!
But if in your heart you revere Christ as Lord, if your focus is on Jesus, if you regularly glory in the Cross of Christ and what He did for you, if you rest in His Word and allow the Spirit of God to unleash His power in your heart, the certain hope that you have in Christ will follow as naturally as night follows day.
And friend … people notice. They notice whether you’re hopeless or hopeful. That’s your witness to them. So, over and over again, in your heart revere Christ as Lord. The rest will just flow.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
Blessed by this devotion?
Share it with a friend!
Respond