In light of all that is happening tonight, please join me in #PrayerForOurNation. For Hope. For Truth. For Healing. For God's breath of life to flow over us. #ReviveUs Click To Tweet
Hope Crosses the Threshold – My #OneWord for 2021
As we cross the threshold of 2021, it looks strangely like 2020. After months of uncertainty and confusion, we pine for change. We need hope. So, HOPE, is my One Word for the coming year.
Because of all we have been through, I need hope. Ethereal wisps hover, yet seem out of reach. It’s no wonder really. The Bible says that hope is unseen. Yet it prompts me to hang on, to believe for what’s coming.
Things That Give Me Hope
As I think back on the past year, it’s easy to rack up the negatives. I need to focus on the blessings. It may take some thinking to make a list. But, I’m challenged to try.
Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).
For me, two blessings stand out, (I know, not many). Like sunshine breaking through gray clouds, I received the joyful news that our son and daughter-in-love are expecting a baby girl in March. This answer to prayer shines light in a dark place for me. As I ponder this sweet gift, I am crocheting baby things. I wonder what she will look like and pray she will love God with her whole heart. This ray of hope in the middle of a difficult year is just what my soul needs.
I am also grateful that my family is healthy. Not seeing them has been the hardest thing, but to know they are safe is a blessing.
We All Need Hope
No matter how bleak things look, we can have hope for the future with God’s help. Hope helps us to focus on all that God promises and for opportunities that lay ahead. In our nation and our world, thoughts are naturally on recovery from this pandemic as we fix our eyes on the Author of hope and we agree in prayer for these things.
We long for a remedy to this virus and how it impacts life, work, and social events.
We hope our children will not have suffered due to all the changes with virtual learning and social distancing measures.
Those we love in healthcare centers or living alone hope to interact with families and one another again.
We long for the freedom to travel and see family without the threat of virus exposure and quarantine mandates.
When Things Don’t Seem Hopeful
But hope can be a funny thing. If time goes by without my hope being realized, I get discouraged.
Hope deferred makes the heart sick (Proverbs 13:12 NASB).
My hope has been deferred by not being able to visit my children and grandchildren. This is why hope is both in my long-term vision and a short-term goal. In essence, I hang onto hope and then live one day at a time, receiving whatever blessings come for that day. These blessings become the building blocks of faith in the One who is faithful.
As we navigate times when hope is hard to hold onto, we need a way to carry on. Hope is hard without God. And we also need other people around us. So when we are tempted to curl up and withdraw, think community.
When we are tempted to curl up and withdraw, think community. #LackingHope Don't let #discouragement win. Click To Tweet
How do you stay hopeful?
Please share your thoughts on this in the comments below. I don’t have to tell you that when you are down, the hardest thing is to look up. We need help to redirect our gaze and to be an encouragement to one another.
I love how Scripture encourages us with the words of those who have walked this path before us. The writer of Hebrews says,
We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end so that what you hope for may be fully realized. ….we have this hope as an anchor of the soul (Hebrews 6:11-19 NIV).
The anchor that keeps me steady is Jesus. He is my hope. And yours too. His name is Emmanuel, which means God with us—He will always be by my side no matter what the future brings.
We have this #hope as an anchor of the soul. #Hebrews6 Click To Tweet
Hope Goes With You Because God is With You
If you know Jesus, His Living Hope—the Holy Spirit of promise lives within you. So no matter where life takes you: over the threshold of an uncertain new year, into an operating room, the chemotherapy chair, losing a loved one, (fill in the blank)… Hope goes with you because He goes with you.
…And and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:5 NASB).
No matter where life takes you, #Hope goes with you because HE goes with you. #JesusWillNeverLeaveYou Click To Tweet
Do you have a word for the coming year? Be sure to share it with me in the comments below.
As we journey into #2021, #hope crosses the threshold with us and we can trust our unknown future to the One who knows all things. Click To Tweet
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I am so thankful God gives us hope to hold on to. His Word is filled with hopeful words we can look to when discouragement and despair attack us. We can learn from our biblical ancestors who held on to hope in situations worse than what we face now.
Amen, Barbara! In my lifetime, I haven’t seen a bigger need for hope in our country. May He be high and lifted up and many come to Him.
I too have chosen HOPE as my 2021 Word! This word seemed to appear in many places the last 2 months of 2020! In my daily devotional, scripture readings at church, magazines and books!
If there was a word that I needed it was this one word after a very unhealthy 2020!
I agree, Judith. Hope has been in my daily dealings also. I think we need it more than ever. We need HIM more than ever. I pray for revival in these days. Thanks for stopping by.
We cannot live without hope……I am so grateful, no matter how things look on the surface, we know our GOD is still here.
Amen, Jan!! He is the hope of Glory. He goes with us no matter how dark things seem. And His ultimate goal is to bring all who ask, into His Kingdom.
Hi Jeanne thanks for this devotional ion Right on Point!My word for 2021 is Gratitude.i am focusing on all the blessings of each and every day.
Joanne, I love your word for the coming year. Gratitude/Thanks is so precious to God. I appreciate your thoughts today too and glad you enjoyed the post.
Hi Jeanne,
Thanks for a timely word. I am not sure what my one word for the year is yet but hope certainly fits. The beautiful thing is when believers use the word hope it is more than wishful thinking. The world says, “I hope things will get better in 2021” with fingers crossed. Our hope is anchored in Jesus and it is eternal. Congratulations on the soon to be granddaughter! I pray for an uncomplicated delivery and a happy, healthy little girl. I pray you will be able to hold her in your arms this year.
Sheree, I love that – the believer’s hope is more than wishful thinking. It is anchored in the person and accomplishments of Christ 🙂 Counting the days until we can visit the grandchildren…and welcome my new grandaughter into the family 🙂 Thanks for stopping in and sharing your thoughts today.
What a wonderful blessing to look forward to in March! My one word is “rest” — trusting in God’s sovereignty.
So excited, Cathy. For them and for us!! Thanks for stopping in and sharing your word, “rest”. I look forward to hearing how God uses it in your life this year.
Well said Ms. Jeanne. While I’ve never been one for selected a “One Word”, yours is certainly a worthwhile goal ma’am. I’m praying your hopes, in God’s will, are fulfilled in the coming year ma’am.
Thank you, J. D. I always appreciate your word. You encourage so many along the way.
Hope is such an awesome word! It is our promise and anchor. So many people are without HOPE. We are so blessed. Mercy is my word for the year and I see it throughout scripture.
God is so good – no matter how things may seem. Thank you, Jeanne!
I appreciate your thoughts today, Stephanie. And MERCY is a word packed with hope too. May we share all that God has given so freely to us, with others in the coming year.