Keeping Hope Alive

by: Ellene Meece

We live in a world that is filled with chaos, evil business and political leaders, self-serving commerce and negative news. In contrast, we have within us God's life that is only peace, righteousness, generosity, compassion . . . and hope through the Holy Spirit.

How can we keep our godly "hope" alive in the midst of the deafening roar of despair? I'm recommending: Turn down the "world" channel and turn up the volume on your spirit radio that transmits truth from God's heart!

"Turning up the Spirit volume" could include:

Admitting we are weak within ourselves
Training our thoughts to think on lovely things
Protecting our heart to exude a positive outlook
Trusting Someone bigger than ourselves
Sharing our hope with others

Admitting we are weak within ourselves and embracing God's strength is the starting point to living in any of God's promises. Romans 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

The Amplified Bible expands on the word abound to include, ". . . overflowing . . . bubbling over with hope." So, invite the God of hope to fill you with His joy . . . the bubbling over kind . . . by the power of His Spirit!

Train your thoughts to focus on everything that is true and lovely! In fact, "Whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]" Philippians 4:8.

Everything we need to protect our heart has been provided for us. When we participate in a sport that has the potential to hurt us, we often put on a helmet to protect the vulnerable parts of our body. Guess what? God offers a helmet of salvation - "the hope of salvation" to protect us. This hope is the knowledge that He loves us unconditionally, laid down His life just for us, is for us not against us, shares in the pain and sorrows of living in this world, cushions us against the lies of the enemy and provides us with a positive outlook on life. [I Thessalonians 5:8; Ephesians 6:17]

Trusting Someone bigger than ourselves is often the hardest task of all. Human nature tends to have more confidence in ones own efforts to right the world and bring hope to dismal situations. But, I encourage you to place your trust in something much higher than yourself. Truly, it makes life worth living! Hebrews 11:1 in the Message Bible says, "The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see."

In the business world, there is much hopelessness as people have put their trust in the stock market, or their life savings, or their job or even people that they believed had it all together. They need to see the hope in someone's eyes and heart that offers them a real anchor in the storms of life. Share your hope with someone today . . . it could save a life.

Ellene Meece lives in Meeker, Colorado and works with her husband in their natural resource company while running her own online store, Grandma's Treasures Online. Currently, she oversees the marketing for the FMIN Workplace Leaders Network.

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Ellene, as always the article you wrote is excellent. Keeping Hope Alive is very uplifting and full of truth and exhortation. Thank You! This is a blessing!

Love, Donna Schra
by: Donna Schra

10/9/2011

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