A Prayer to Rediscover Hope
By Kristine Brown
“I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.” Ephesians 1:18 (NLT)
What is hope? If I asked that question to any stranger on the street today, I might get a cynical answer or frustration in return. Hope is something the world seems to think is in scarce supply these days. And as feelings of hopelessness spread, believers are in danger of becoming its victims, as well.
With the discouraging times we are living in, it’s easy to lose focus on our promise as children of God. We get frustrated with how things are and forget that hope has a special meaning for us. Where the world bases its hope on what we see happening around us, we know that through Christ, it means so much more.
When we invite Jesus to be Lord of our lives, we are offered the gift of eternal hope that will bring joy and peace, regardless of what we face in this life. Because we have this eternal promise, our outlook doesn’t have to be affected by what we see. We have the supernatural ability to exude hope in even the worst of situations.
Jesus was hope in human form when he walked on this earth, and he continues to be our living hope as we anticipate his return. Ephesians 1:14 explains the benefits of this hope we have in Christ. “The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people.”
The apostle Paul knew our hearts must be filled with the light of Jesus, so we will be in constant awareness of the hope God so graciously gives. The expectation that his promise will be fulfilled. If we let the light fade, we become vulnerable to the darkness of discouragement. But inspiration like the words God spoke through Paul to the Ephesians will restore our hope when our circumstances tempt us to give up.
Let’s include some inspiring verses in our prayer today to the Author of Hope. As we pray this together, let’s allow the words to guide us in rediscovering the hope that is ours as God’s precious children. May the world find this undeniable hope when they see Jesus’ light shine through us.
Let's Pray:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for giving your son Jesus Christ to be our living hope. We do not deserve the sacrifice he made for us, but you loved us enough to allow him to pay the price for our sin. Although we may never fully grasp the magnitude of his gift, we have hope because of Jesus.
Lord, we wait expectantly for Jesus’ return. We long for the day we will see him face to face. That is the confident hope Paul talks about in his letter to the church. “I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.” (Ephesians 1:18) Help us to keep the light of Jesus in our hearts so we do not lose hope. The world may not see this hope right now, but through us may everyone discover and know the eternal hope of our Savior.
It’s hard to rediscover hope when bad things happen. But your word confirms that your goodness prevails through it all. You never forget the needs of your people. Psalm 9:18 says, “But God will never forget the needy; the hope of the afflicted will never perish.” Thank you for this promise that even in the darkest times, hope will ultimately win.
When we feel ourselves giving in to discouragement, help us claim the words of Psalm 33:20, “We put our hope in the Lord. He is our help and our shield.” Today, tomorrow, and in the future to come, our hope remains in you.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Photo credit: ©SalemDesign
Editor's Note: We're proud to announce we've just launched a new nighttime companion to Your Daily Prayer: the Your Nightly Prayer devotional. You'll soon be able to subscribe to receive Your Nightly Prayer via email, or as a podcast, but for now you can find it on the website at crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-nightly-prayer. We hope it's a relaxing and soothing way to wind down your day with rich meditations on who God is.
Related Resource: Jesus Calling - Stories of Faith
Kerry Washington. Andrea Bocelli. Reba McEntire. Mark Wahlberg. Tony Dungy. Matthew McConaughey, What do all of these people have in common? They are all people of faith who have leaned on God in both the good and challenging times—and they’ve shown up to tell their story of faith on The Jesus Calling Podcast. The Jesus Calling Podcast provides a place for people from all walks of life to share the heartaches, joys, and divine moments that keep them going.
Inspired by Sarah Young's classic devotional book, the Jesus Calling podcast has brought encouragement and peace to millions. New episodes drop every Thursday! Listen today on LifeAudio.com or wherever you find your podcasts.
Now that you've prayed, are you in need of someone to pray for YOU? Click the button below!
Originally published Friday, 15 July 2022.
SHARE
