Don't Lose Hope

I typically start my day by reading a daily devotional from In Touch, the teaching ministry of Dr. Charles Stanley (www.intouch.org). I thought I'd share parts of the devotionals from yesterday and today:

The Restorer of Lost Hopes

"...how do we endure times of trial right now? Heaven can seem so far away when pain is present and there's no relief in sight. Hope anticipates a change of circumstances for the better....What a paradox! The difficulties which cause us to lose hope are the tools the Lord uses to increase our faith and hope in Him.

Unless we're vigilant in guarding our perspective, many situations can erode optimism and trust. Biblical principles are the best defense against such discouragement. Unchanging difficult circumstances can cause despair and rob life of meaning, but Romans 5:1-5 tells us that God has a much different view about the value of trials. We are eager for our Father to just fix the problem or relieve the suffering, but He has an eternal goal in mind. His purpose in trials is to produce proven character in us, which will result in hope, not disappointment....

Hopelessness is a miserable trap that blinds a believer from seeing the Lord. The only way out is to deliberately focus on Christ through praise, prayer, and Scripture. This is probably the last thing a discouraged person wants to do, but hope awaits those who are willing to see life from God's perspective."