And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
- 1 Peter 5:10
We will go through tough times. There will be times in our lives or in the world when we may toil, when we may suffer, when we may go through uncertainty, pain, and turbulence. It is during these times that we ought to remember that our God is a "God of Hope" (Romans 15:13). We can trust that He will sustain us and restore us, making us stronger and making us whole. He can give us hope and He is hope.
Examples of this are clear and plentiful through scripture. When Abraham and Sarah did not think they could have children, God blessed them with a son. When Istraelites were enslaved, God performed miracles and used Moses to lead the people to freedom. When the disciples became frightened in the boat during a storm, Jesus calmed the storm with merely a shout. When a woman who suffered from bleeding for twelve years, she believed and Jesus healed her.
The pandemic has been difficult for many, and so many of us have suffered personal tragedies and hardships. We may also be concerned with the state of the world, with impacts of climate change, with the situations of violence and war, with worries about finances and economy, and the uncertainty of the future. In these times, know that while being a Christian does not make us immune to dark days, our faith does give us hope, strength, and purpose. Remember that God will "himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast" (1 Peter 5:10).
Reflection: Where are you hurting in your life? Pray to God for healing, for restoration and for strength.
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We continue our studies this year by looking deeper as to how we may find hope during times of despair. As we revisit the theme of hope, study with us in our weekly devotional and spend time to restore your soul through praise and worship. Christian Calm Radio provides weekly blogs and praise and worship music channels to help you on your walk in faith.