Be Joyful In Hope | Short Sermon Series

When storm clouds loom and we find ourselves in the midst of a trying season or situation, how do we respond? Do we get frustrated, annoyed and dissatisfied with our lives? Perhaps there is a better way to deal with times where life is not as fun or smooth sailing as we would like it to be. Paul’s nuggets of wisdom to the Romans a thousand years ago are still nuggets of wisdom for us today!

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” Romans 12:12

First, and perhaps most importantly, be joyful in hope. This is probably the command that most of us will feel hardest to follow. It can be extremely difficult to find joy in the middle of a trying situation. But the key thing is that we are not just being joyful for the sake of being positive – we are joyful because we have a very, very good reason to! We are joyful in the hope that we have in Christ. In His love for us, in His promise that we will one day be reunited with Him and in the assurance that every tear will be wiped away from our eyes. With this hope set out for us, we can profess, “this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)

After we are joyful in hope, the other two principles follow more naturally. We will be able to be patient in our trials, knowing that they are opportunities for us to be shaped and moulded to be more Christ-like. And finally, we will only be able to be joyful in hope when we are faithful in prayer! Prayer connects us to God’s heart for us and reminds us of how He loves us beyond measure.

When we put all three principles together, the joy of the Lord will be our strength to tide us through any trial, any circumstance, and any temptation. Rejoice, no matter what, for God’s love for you will always remain steadfast!

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