Did you know that the word “hope” is mentioned over 150 times in the Bible? It seems that any word mentioned that many times is pretty significant. Lately, God has been showing me a few things about hope and its connection to patience (not one of my favorite words until recently). In fact, the words “patient,” “patiently” and “patience” are themselves mentioned 80 times. Although I’m not going to share all 248 scripture references to these two words (phew!), I do want to share a few that highlight the connection between hope and patience and how we can cooperate with them to see all of God’s promises to us come to pass. 

First of all, let me establish now that God is showing me some things about hope and patience because I desperately need to draw on these forces right now. I need to understand the part they play in the process of faith in order to obtain what God has promised my husband Troy and myself. We are all currently in the process of obtaining, aren’t we? The challenge is, how do we conduct ourselves in between the time God spoke His promise to us and the time when we see that promise come to pass? We need to understand the process so that we don’t quit in frustration. Cooperating with the process will allow us to obtain all God’s made available to us! 

In order to obtain God’s promises, we must hold fast to hope. Hope literally means “a favorable and confident expectation.”  This is so important for us to have, that God actually appointed hope for us! Look at Hebrews 6:18 in the Amplified: “…we who have fled [to Him] for refuge might have mighty indwelling strength and strong encouragement to grasp and hold fast the hope appointed for us and set before [us]. “ God has appointed or assigned hope for us. And notice, He even provides the strength and encouragement needed in order to hold it fast! Why? Because hope is absolutely necessary to continue to pursue what God has promised. When time and circumstances scream their loudest that what God promised us won’t really come to pass, it is the hope that God appointed over us that keeps us going! Look at verse 19: “…we have this [hope] as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul [it cannot slip and it cannot break down under whoever steps out upon it…”.   I love that visual! Hope is the steadfast anchor of our soul and it cannot slip! It can hold up under absolutely anyone! Hope will keep us anchored to His promises no matter what winds of circumstance blow our way! 

Look at Hebrews 6:11-12, 15, 18-19 in the Contemporary English Version:  11”…be eager to show how strong and lasting your hope really is. 12Then you would never be lazy. You would be following the example of those who had faith and were patient until God kept his promise to them… 15 after Abraham had been very patient, he was given what God had promised… 18God cannot tell lies! And so his promises and vows are two things that can never be changed.  We have run to God for safety. Now his promises should greatly encourage us to take hold of the hope that is right in front of us. 19This hope is like a firm and steady anchor for our souls…”  Notice this version says His promises should greatly encourage us to take hold of hope. Without hope, we won’t persist in obtaining His promises, but at the same time, it is His promises that encourage us to hope! 

Do you understand why hope is so important? Because patience has a job to do, and without hope anchoring us, we won’t persevere long enough to allow patience to do its job! I know patience isn’t usually one of our favorite words, but when we realize the purpose of patience, we can cooperate with it. “Let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing!” (James 1:4). If we give up in the midst of believing because it seems to be taking too long (or longer than we thought it should), then our lives will display the opposite of this verse. If we give up, we will be under-developed, we will have defects, and we will always be lacking. Not quite what I’m striving for! 

Hebrews 10:35-36 also explains this connection. “Do not, therefore, fling away your fearless confidence --hope-- for it carries a great and glorious compensation of reward. For you have need of steadfast patience and endurance, so that you may perform and fully accomplish the will of God, and thus receive and carry away [and enjoy to the full] what is promised.”  We can’t throw away our hope because it keeps us in patience! And we need to let patience do its job in us so we can carry away what’s been promised! Patience simply means consistency. It also denotes courage and calm fortitude in the midst of.  Hope keeps us courageous and calm in the midst of whatever comes our way while we wait expectantly to fully enjoy what God has promised us! Romans 8:25 in the Amplified puts it this way: “…hope for what is still unseen…wait for it with patience and composure!” 

Once we begin to see the connection between hope and patience, we can more fully cooperate with this process. My mindset is beginning to change. I am beginning to “consider it joyful” when I “encounter trials,” because I am “assured and understand that the trial is proving,” strengthening my faith and thus “bringing out my endurance, my patience” (James 1:2-4). And because of that, I will be fully developed and I will lack in nothing!  Just as our muscles must endure pressure and resistance to be strengthened, so must our faith! Every day that we hold fast to hope in God’s promises and cooperate with patience, we are that much stronger! 

But you know what? It’s never just about us, is it? When we allow God’s hope to keep us anchored in patience and let that process fully play out in us, we’re then well able to help others as they run their appointed course. I recently re-read 2 Corinthians 4:15-17 and saw it in light of this connection. 15 “For all [these] things –distresses-- are [taking place] for your sake, so that the more grace (divine favor and spiritual blessing) extends to more and more people and multiplies through the many, the more thanksgiving may increase [and redound] to the glory of God. 16Therefore we do not become discouraged (utterly spiritless, exhausted, and wearied out through fear). Though our outer man is [progressively] decaying and wasting away, yet our inner self is being [progressively] renewed day after day. 17For our light, momentary affliction (this slight distress of the passing hour) is ever more and more abundantly preparing and producing and achieving for us an everlasting weight of glory…18Since we…look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. “     5:17 continues: “For we walk by faith…not by sight or appearance.” So continuing through distresses not only produces for us, but multiplies favor and blessing to others, causing increased thanksgiving to our God! Our walking by faith, hoping in things yet unseen, is producing glory, dignity, and honor in us and for our God! 

I love Paul’s perspective of distress—slight and passing! The Message says it this way: “These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us!”  Hallelujah! Don’t quit now! Regardless of current circumstances, don’t loosen your grip on the anchor of hope! Keep reminding yourself of exactly what God’s promised you! Remember, His word IS sure and He IS faithful to His word! Let hope keep you anchored in patience and you WILL enjoy all God’s promised! For surely there is a latter end [a future and a reward], and your hope and expectation shall not be cut off! (Proverbs 23:18).

I realize this only begins to scratch the surface of hope and patience; many books have already been written about them. I urge you to dig in to the Word and let God remind you of these simple yet powerful truths…especially if right now you, too, are in the process of believing God for the fulfillment of His promises…and that's all of us, isn’t it? 

Let me encourage you with these last few verses:

Hebrews 6:11 & 12 (Amplified): … show diligence and sincerity [all the way through] in realizing and enjoying the full assurance and development of [your] hope until the end… through faith (by their leaning of the entire personality on God in Christ in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, and goodness and by practice of patient endurance and waiting [now] inherit the promises.

Colossians 1:23 (Amplified) …continue to stay with and in the faith [in Christ], well-grounded and settled and steadfast, not shifting or moving away from hope…

Psalm 119:81-82 (Amp)…We hope in Your Word…watching for the fulfillment of Your promise!

Hebrews 10:23 (Amp) So let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope we cherish and confess and our acknowledgement of it, for He Who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His word.

Hebrews 3:6 & 14 (Amp)    … hold fast and firm to the end (patience is necessary to get to the “end”) our joyful and exultant confidence --hope-- and sense of triumph in our hope [in Christ]. For we have become fellows with Christ (the Messiah) and share in all He has for us, if only we hold our first newborn confidence –hope--  and original assured expectation [in virtue of which we are believers] firm and unshaken to the end. (Again, through patience.)

Hebrews 3:14 (Message) If we can only keep our grip on the sure thing we started out with, we're in this with Christ for the long haul.

Romans 5:5 (Amp)  …hope never disappoints or deludes or shames us…

Psalm 27:14 (Amp) Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!

Psalm 119:49 (Amp) Remember [fervently] the word and promise to Your servant, in which You have caused me to hope.

Psalm 27:13-14 (Message) I'm sure now I'll see God's goodness  in the [land of the living]. 
   Stay with GOD!  Take heart. Don't quit.  I'll say it again:  Stay with GOD.
 
 
 

PRAYER REQUEST
Know that we at Covenant Living Ministries are here for you.  If you have sickness in your body, if you lack in anyway, if you are having hard times or if you need the working power of God in your life and you want to lay hold of the work done at Calvary and would like someone on our staff to pray with you please contact us.  We would be honored to pray with you - we expect great results.  The word of God says the prayer’s of a righteous man makes great power available.  There is also great power available in agreement so allow us to agree with you today.  Send your prayer requests to devotional@kingdomsportspark.com or call (812) 962-3478 and ask for Troy or Amy.