hope

Where have you been placing your hope?

It’s a simple enough question, but when you truly take the time to think about it, what first appears a straightforward rhetorical question, becomes a nuanced ask with varying outcomes.

If I don’t think about it, I would tell you that I’ve been placing my hope in God- duh! But, if I’m honest, this is normally not the case. I do not find myself resting in the presence of the Lord, in the truth that He speaks over me. Instead, I start believing lies, replacing what God says is true with words and phrases that actually aren’t even close to the truth. They are quite utterly lies that the world tells and makes us believe. I let my mind, my thoughts, my actions/ behaviors be defined by society’s reflection, instead of the reflection of God. We are called to constantly circle back on the path that always leads to the Lord! Let’s read Psalm 23:2:

He offers a resting place for me in his luxurious love.[a]

His tracks take me to an oasis of peace, the quiet brook of bliss.[b]

3 That’s where he restores and revives my life.[c]

He opens before me pathways to God’s pleasure

and leads me along in his footsteps of righteousness[d]

so that I can bring honor to his name.

I am really interested in dissecting words into their origins, their root words. The root word for love (at the end of line a) is the Greek word agape (pronounced AH-GAHP-EY). Agape refers to the highest form of love and charity; it is thought to have originated directly from God’s love for man.

If you continue to break down these words, you would arrive at ago- “to lead like a shepherd,” and pao, “to rest.” True love is God leading us back to Him, guiding us back to where we belong.

David, the author of Psalms, describes this circular nature in verse three. BibleGateway says, “It is a common trait for sheep on the hillsides of Israel to circle their way up higher. They eventually form a path that keeps leading them higher” (BibleGateway). Each step we take following our Shepherd will lead us higher, even though it may seem we are going in circles. We are called to put our hope in God, even when life gets monotonous or our paths get crossed.

The truth is, God may pivot, but he never changes. He stays the same, even when the world changes. And let’s be honest- the world is always changing. Society’s expectations and people’s needs are never going to remain stagnant. On a broader scale, they change season to season, but on a magnified scale, they change moment to moment.

So, if you’re looking for some practical ways to get back to placing your hope in Jesus, here are a few

1. Stop letting others dictate your happiness

• Every time you willfully open social media and scroll, scroll, scroll, you are choosing to make other people your priority. Think about it this way, when was the last time you opened a social media app? Now, when was the last time that you opened your Bible or did a devotional? For most of us, social media triumphs over your Bible. Imagine if you opened the word of God as often as you open a meaningless app. WOW.

1. Make quiet time to be alone with God

• Whether it be journaling, listening to worship music, or anything else, just make time to sit alone with Him. If you let him, he’ll speak to you.

1. Make prayer a priority

• Have you ever tried approaching things from a standpoint of gratitude rather than expectancy? Thank Him first!

This week I want to challenge you to place your hope back in the Father who created you.

Authentically,

Ali