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The Formula for Becoming Like Jesus

October 18, 2016 by Lindsey 1 Comment

Many of us want to become more like Jesus. But sometimes, I think we make it more complicated than it actually needs to be. We’re looking for an extensive formula, when really, it’s much more simple than that.

I love this picture of my son wearing his daddy’s shoes.

It’s such a great reminder that our kids will likely become (for better or for worse) like us. They will – quite literally – follow in our footsteps.

Just as it’s true that our children will likely become like us, it’s also true that we will become like those we spend the most time with.

I’ve heard it said that you will become like the 5 people you are around the most.

It’s interesting to me how many of us say we want to be like Jesus but don’t spend very much time with Him.

(And believe me, I’m just as guilty as anyone else!)

The reality is, if we’re not spending time with Jesus and learning about Him – how He lived, how he spoke, how He loved – then we’re going to have a really hard time becoming like Him.

How can we become like someone we’re never around?

How can we mimic the actions of someone we don’t see?

I love that the opposite is also true, though.

The more we are around someone, the more like them we become.

So the more we dig into the Word of God and the more we study the person of Jesus, the more we will become like Him.

Luke 6:40, in the New Life Version, says this, “But everyone who learns well will be like his teacher.”

All this month here at Do Not Depart, we’ve been talking about why sound theology matters. In the introductory post, Ali explained that theology is the study or knowledge of God.

In the past few weeks, we have shared several reasons why sound theology matters: because it helps us identify false teachers and false doctrines, because it helps us know God better, and because it helps us know how to interact with others.

Another reason sound theology matters is because it is through sound theology that we become more like Jesus.

It is through the study of Him that we become like Him.

The formula for becoming like Jesus isn’t as hard as we often make it.

We often think we have to follow a whole bunch of rules: don’t have sex outside of marriage, don’t get drunk, do go to church every Sunday, don’t steal or kill or lust, don’t do this, do this, etc.

But the truth is, the formula for becoming like Jesus is simply this:

Be with Jesus = Become like Jesus

We become like those we around, so when we’re around Jesus, His amazing qualities begin to rub off on us. And before we know it, when people look at us, they start to see more Jesus.

Sound theology matters because the study of Jesus helps us grow more like Him.

There is one thing I want to warn you about, though.

Just having knowledge of God is not enough.

We can know a lot about God without actually knowing Him.

I think that’s what happened to many of the religious leaders while Jesus walked on this earth.

They had a lot of head knowledge about the Scriptures, but they failed to let their knowledge reach their hearts.

In John 5:39-40, Jesus challenged the Jewish leaders about their knowledge of the Scriptures: “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to me! Yet you refuse to come to me to receive this life” (NLT).

So this week, spend some time with Jesus. Open your Bible and get to know Him. But don’t do it just to know facts.

Instead, do it to know Him.

Let’s chat: Have you made the “formula for becoming like Jesus” more complicated than necessary? How?

We can know a lot about God without actually knowing Him. @LindseyMBell #TheologyforWomen

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It is through the study of Him that we become like Him. #TheologyforWomen @LindseyMBell

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Is it possible to become like Jesus if you’re never around Him? #TheologyforWomen @LindseyMBell

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Is Your God Worth Sharing?

October 13, 2016 by Lisa Burgess 2 Comments

Do you think God is cruel?
Do you think He doesn’t care about the details of your life?
Do you think He plays favorites, loving some people more than others?

Bad News or Good News?

If (or when) we think cynical thoughts about God, we don’t want to share Him with others. Why would we?

That kind of God is bad news, not good news.

But if we believe God is always good (Psalm 34:8), always compassionate (Lamentations 3:22), always loving (1 John 4:16), we want to talk more about Him (Psalm 145:4).

Even to people who haven’t yet encountered Him.

What we think about God matters. We’re talking about it here all month because theology is not just theoretical; it’s practical.

What You Think About God

As we look today at how our theology affects our encounters with unbelievers, we have to first ask ourselves some hard questions.

What are my deepest feelings about who God is (not just my “Christianese” answer)?
Why do I believe that about Him?
Could I be wrong about what I think?
How can I learn more accurate information about God?
How have my personal encounters with God influenced my thinking?
Do I want to tell others about this God? Why or why not?

The more we know the true God, the more we know pure love.

Share with Others

And the more we know love, the more it spills out of us and onto others.

We praise God in front of others.
We love others because He loves them.
We work in our circles to help others.
We share our God-stories with others.

So our relationships improve. Our lives become more meaningful. Our faith increases in strength.

Knowing God matters. Not just for our own souls. But also in how we interact with others.

Let’s know God as accurately as we can. Let’s worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:24).

Then we’ll believe He’s worthy of sharing.

Is your God worthy of sharing? Why it matters. #TheologyForWomen

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Have you read J. I. Packer’s classic book, Knowing God?

What prevents you from sharing God with others? What helps you? Let’s talk in the comments.

Related Reading:

Psalm 145
A Psalm of David about who God is
Why Do You Want to Know God?
Thoughts from J. I. Packer’s Knowing God
What If You Believed All the Good Things Are True?
What if you believed all God’s promises are true? Imagine that.
6 Reasons to Study Doctrine by Tim Challies
“Your love for God is limited by your knowledge of him, so that you can really only love him as far as you know him.”

Theology Helps Us Identify False Teachers and False Doctrine

October 11, 2016 by Kelli LaFram 2 Comments

But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber. 2 Peter 2:1-3

There are all sorts of false teachers in the world today. There have been around since the days of the early church. I’m going to resist the urge to call-out the more “famous” ones of our generation, because I am sure there are far more than I am aware of and far more than I could list. I will say this though, in hopes that it will help you identify them for yourself: they walk in the lusts of the flesh. They despise authority. They are presumptuous and self-willed. And even though they are not afraid to speak evil of evil beings (Satan and demons) and stand against them, they do so out of selfish pride and arrogance (2 Peter 2:10).

The saddest thing about these false teachers, however, is that they deny the Gospel (in full or in part, either by adding to it or taking away from it) and many people will fall victim to their lies. So how do we guard our hearts from these people who are bound for destruction? How do we tell the difference from words that sound pretty and words that are true? By being in God’s Word for ourselves. By learning for ourselves, through the power of the Holy Spirit, what the Gospel is in it’s purest form.

As children of God we have the Holy Spirit living inside us. And because of His presence we have the ability to understand God’s holy word. Many people wrongly believe that they can’t possibly study Scripture on their own, that they need a teacher or preacher to help them to understand it. Yes, we do need good, God-fearing, Bible-believing shepherds in our lives. We need church leaders who are willing to preach the Word to us to convince, rebuke, and exhort us with all longsuffering (2 Timothy 4:2). However, they are not the only point of access we have to God’s word.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John 14:26

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16:13

Being in God’s word for ourselves and relying on the Holy Spirit for enlightenment will allow us to discern what is right from what is wrong, truth from lies, and the genuine Gospel from the many, many false gospels that are being proclaimed today. We are told in 1 John 4:1 “do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God…” Why? Because many of the ideas and notions that we hear from others (and even ones we come up with on our own) don’t line up with what Scripture says about God, His Son, and the amazing grace He lavishes on those who come to Him by faith. And we do not want to be believing lies about our Loving Father, do we?

Friends, my prayer for each of us is this: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give to us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the eyes of our understanding would be enlightened, so that we may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and that we may know what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe (Ephesians 4:17-19, paraphrased).

If the idea of studying the Bible on you own is a new concept to you or is a little intimidating, may I suggest this resource by John MacArthur. It is a study of the Book of Ephesians, which contains the foundations of Christianity. I believe that studying Ephesians in-depth will help all believers to understand their union in Christ, the unity of the church in Christ, and our responsibility to be useful in Christ.

[amazon_image id=”0718035100″ link=”true” target=”_blank” size=”medium” ]Ephesians: Our Immeasurable Blessings in Christ (MacArthur Bible Studies)[/amazon_image]

Sound Theology Helps us Know God Well

October 6, 2016 by Ali Shaw 3 Comments

“What was in the beginning before God created the heaven and earth?” My oldest daughter often asked me big questions when she was a very little girl. “Nothing was made before anything was made,” I answered. “Mmmm. . . you’re not understanding my question,” she responded, with a look of frustration on her face.

My daughter, then about four years old, was a budding theologian with big questions about God’s nature and capabilites. She couldn’t always word the questions well enough to explain just exactly what she was asking, but the point most clear was this: she wanted to know God well.

People wonder about God. And that’s a great thing when it puts us on the right path to getting our questions answered. When reflecting on God is met with Biblical study, sound theology is born.   It’s only a sound theology that helps to answer our questions accurately. It’s our basic theology that confirms in us who God is, what He’s capable of, what His character is, and who we are in Him. This information and these beliefs shade our whole life a different color than life outside of knowledge of Him.

“Theology is for everyone. Indeed, everyone needs to be a theologian. In reality, everyone is a theologian— of one sort or another.  And therein lies the problem. There is nothing wrong with being an amateur theologian or a professional theologian, but there is everything wrong about being an ignorant or sloppy theologian. Therefore, everyone should read theology. Theology simply means thinking about God and expressing those thoughts in some way.” (Charles Ryrie, Basic Theology)

When our theology isn’t right, we can’t know God well. And we don’t know God well, we can’t understand Him or what our role and position in relation to Him should be.

Sound Theology Matters to Know God Well. When our theology isn’t right, we can’t know God well. And we don’t know God well, we can’t understand Him or what our role and position in relation to Him should be. Read more at DoNotDepart.com

What does it mean to know God well?

When we know God well we:
1. Understand that all He does is based out of love… because He is love. (1 John 4:8)
2. Know that He is slow to anger and full of compassion. (Psalm 145:8)
3. Know that His promises are true and He is ultimately truth. (Psalm 18:30 and John 14:6)
4. Realize that He has come to give us life. (Satan has come to kill, steal, and destroy.) (John 10:10)
5. Tust in His righteous judgements, knowing He cannot make mistakes or do any evil. (Numbers 23:19, 1 John 1:5)

How can we know him well?

Since our theology shapes who we are and what we do in all facets of life, we need to know how it’s possible to know God well. Will we ever know God completely? No, His greatness is unsearchable. (Psalm 145:3) But, just like with any relationship, there are things we can do to get to know Him better. It takes discipline and effort.

We can know God well through:
1. The reading and study of His Word. (Psalm 119:105, Rom 10:17, 2 Tim 2:15)
2. His Holy Spirit, who convicts us of sin and keeps us on right path. (John 14:16-17, John 16:8, John 16:13)
3. The Body of Christ, whom God’s Spirit works through to edify and build up His church. (1 Cor 12:5-7)
4. Prayer, which builds faith and draw us near to God— who in turn, draws near to us. (Romans 8:26, James 4:8)
5. Obedience, worship and praise, all of which exalt and magnify God and help us meditate on His truths. (John 14:15, Psalm 34:3, Joshua 1:8)

Charles Ryrie states that “Everyone is a theologian” and that there is “everything wrong about being an ignorant or sloppy theologian.” Sound theology is the way to know God well and to better understand His character and the depth of his love and sacrifice. The truth of His nature can touch our hearts to the core. And it is then that we can offer Him a proper response and share His truths with others.

How has knowing God well shaded your theology? How does that affect your life, decisions, and relationships? Are there areas where you need to know Him better? What can you do about that?

What does it mean to know God well? And how can we do this? Sound theology matters! #TheologyForWomen

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Why Sound Theology Matters for Every Woman

October 4, 2016 by Ali Shaw 2 Comments

Do you consider yourself a theologian?

Most of us would answer that question with a resounding no. But the truth is this: in a way, we all are.

The word theology is comprised of two Greek word parts… theo (meaning God) and ology (meaning knowledge or study of…). So, we could say that a theologian is someone with knowledge of God or someone who studies God.

Is that you?

With this definition and thought process, we can easily see that if we are theologians on any level, we must make sure that our theology is sound.

Why Sound Theology Matters for Every Woman... Read the entire series at DoNotDepart.com

Why Theology Matters

Whether we’re aware of it or not, our basic theology affects every part of our life. From how we view God to how we interact with our family and friends, no part of our life is truly left untouched by our beliefs. The decisions we make, the things we teach our children, the words that come from our mouths, and even the votes we cast all reflect our response to the basic truths we hold dear.

This month, we’ll be examining in detail Why Sound Theology Matters for Every Woman and discovering ways to make sure our theology is spot on.

And while some people may view theology as a boring, dry, and scholarly subject fit only for the most intellectual of Christians, the truth is theology is for everyone. It’s an exciting, sweet look at the God who loves us immensely. Establishing our theology soundly results in fruitful growth and great joy!

We hope you’ll join us!

Ali

Why Sound Theology Matters for Every Woman. New series this month! #TheologyForWomen

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Hope {Series Wrap-Up}

October 1, 2016 by Patti Brown Leave a Comment

What does the bible say about hope? A series at DoNotDepart.com

Digging into God’s Word to learn more about hope this month has been encouraging for us, and we hope it has been for you as well! To be sure you didn’t miss any post in our Hope series here is a quick synopsis:

Living Hope
“The hope that we have in and through Jesus Christ has power, and gives us strength. The more we fix our hope on Him, the more our hope grows!” – Patti

God is Our Hope
Biblical “hope is a confident belief and expectation in the truths and promises of God.”
“our hope (our confident belief and expectation in the truths and promises of God) is safe and has a firm foundation because God is who He says He is and all of His promises are true.” – Ali

Hope in Jesus is Hope that Purifies
“Hope in Jesus is the only hope that will purify any of us. This is the hope that allows us to confidently say “Yes, I am a mess, but when Jesus comes I won’t be ashamed. He already knows everything about me. I’ve brought everything into the light as He’s asked me to (1 John 1:5-9) and He still promises to claim me as His!” – Kelli

Get Your Hopes Up – Gifts in Your Future (Proverbs 23:18)
“Thankfully, God does know our future (Jeremiah 29:11). And because He is good, He has good plans in place for what’s next (Isaiah 46:4). Even when bad things happen alongside them.” – Lisa (Lisa also created a free download of Hope in Future Grace scriptures!)

The Difference Between Hoping FOR Something and Hoping IN Someone
“I was placing my hope in God doing something, instead of simply placing my hope in Him . . . the hope God desires we cling to is the hope that He will be with us through our hardships and the hope that He will use whatever we are going through for our good and His glory.” – Lindsey

When Hope for Healing Resurrected
“And in the midst of it all, God will take each trial, each pinprick and injection, each high and low, each decision to eat or abstain, to move or rest – He will take every thing and work them together in His tapestry of good purpose, not only for my life, but for those He allows me to touch as well. My fear that hope was vain was a lie. A lie from my enemy, not a truth from my Father. – Courtney (guest writer and author of Chronic Healing)

Hope in God’s Steadfast Love
“Hesed love is binding. A covenant is a legal transaction. God’s love is steadfast because it can not be broken. This is love that hope can be safely placed in, because by definition God will not remove His love from us while we are in a covenant.” – Patti

Lord, we thank you for blessing us with hope. We know you are faithful, and that hope in You does not disappoint. We look to eternity with joy knowing that You are our living hope, and that no matter what may come while we walk this earth, we are Your own, and Your steadfast love will not fail. Amen.

Don’t miss any posts in our #hope series!

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Hope in God’s Steadfast Love

September 30, 2016 by Patti Brown 1 Comment

As the news fills our minds with grievous images and despairing thoughts, it is easy to feel hopeless. The world seem to be in a downward spiral, doesn’t it?

It has seemed that way for millennia. Just a quick glance at the Old Testament shows that people have been despairing over their condition from the beginning:

Job despairing:
“Do you intend to reprove my words, When the words of one in despair belong to the wind?
(Job 6:26 NASB)
Israelites in Egypt despairing:
“And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, ‘Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness!’”
(Numbers 14:2)
David despairing:
“Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence.”
(Psalm 42:5 NASB)
David despairing some more:
“For the enemy has pursued my soul;
he has crushed my life to the ground;
he has made me sit in darkness like those long dead.
Therefore my spirit faints within me;
my heart within me is appalled.”
(Psalm 143:3-4)
Solomon despairing:
“So I turned about and gave my heart up to despair over all the toil of my labors under the sun”
(Ecclesiastes 2:20)

You see? It’s nothing new.

The trouble with placing hope in the world has always been that the world is populated by sinners – including you and me. People disappoint us. We disappoint ourselves.

But hope in God’s love won’t disappoint.

God’s Covenant Love

Let’s take a look at three verses in the Old Testament that speak of hoping in His love. Each of these verses talks about God’s love in a very specific way.

This is not the feel-good emotional love we see in Hallmark movies. It is not even the kind of New Testament love-in-action Christians try to walk out daily with those in their life.

The Hebrew words for love in these verses all come from the same root – חָ֫סֶד – transliterated hesed or checed (Strong’s #2617). The ESV translates words that come from hesed as “steadfast love.” Hesed is even more accurately translated as “covenant loyalty.”

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations, Deuteronomy 7:9

Hesed love is binding. A covenant is a legal transaction. God’s love is steadfast because it can not be broken. This is love that hope can be safely placed in, because by definition God will not remove His love from us while we are in a covenant.

Now for those verses:

Steadfast Love Watches Over Us

Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love, Psalm 33:18

God’s covenant love binds Him to protect us. He is always tenderly watching over us!

Steadfast Love Redeems

O Israel, hope in the Lord! For with the Lord there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption. Psalm 130:7

God planned from the foundation of the world to redeem His people. Those who choose to enter into a covenant of love with Him have been redeemed by the power of Jesus’ sacrifice for our sins. We are free to enjoy Him for eternity!

Steadfast Love Is Unceasing

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:21-23

God is not a god of whim. He will not suddenly pluck His love from us. His love is unceasing and His mercy never runs out

God is Faithful to Love Us

The covenant love of our Lord watches over us, redeems us and never ends. We can hope in God’s love, because He is faithful!

Hope in God’s Steadfast Love. #hope

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We can place our hope in God’s covenant love because He is faithful! #hope

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When Hope for Healing Resurrected

September 27, 2016 by Guest Post Leave a Comment

adobe-spark-window-chronic-healing-quote

The day I realized my hope had died I stood in worship, surrounded by women, all praising God. The conference had only been going for one day and the theme had nothing specifically to do with healing. But there I stood – hopeless, no longer awaiting healing – assuming my prayers would never be answered.

The speaker had finished her message and moved into prayer and prophesy, uplifting especially those in the room with autoimmune illnesses. I stood to receive prayer, again, not expecting much.

I had come to this conference as part of an annual tradition, my time with women to press into God’s presence. Just days before, I’d finished the manuscript for my second book, [amazon_link id=”1942362048″ target=”_blank” ]Chronic Healing[/amazon_link] – or so I thought. Eleven chapters chronicled my journey living with Type 1 diabetes and the multitude of ways God has brought healing to my soul, though not yet to my physical body.

Yet in that moment of prayer, hearing the prophetic decimation of autoimmune disease declared, hope stirred in my soul for the first time in years. And the Lord spoke to me: “There is one chapter yet to write. You have a chapter twelve.”

Throughout Chronic Healing, I’d poured out how God had brought healing to my wounds, food addiction, slothfulness, denial, fear, self-pity, and many more areas. But since I didn’t understand why years of prayers for physical healing had gone unheeded, I thought I’d better leave that one alone and chalk it up to God’s unsearchable ways.

And yet, in that moment, God called me to face the very thing I feared most: that hope was vain because physical healing would never come this side of heaven.

“…but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weaknesses. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words…And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:23-26, 28 (ESV)

My physical body longs for redemption. The Holy Spirit within me intercedes on my behalf when my understanding wanes and my strength fails. He helps me walk in patience through this circumstance which weighs heavy on body and soul. And in the midst of it all, God will take each trial, each pinprick and injection, each high and low, each decision to eat or abstain, to move or rest – He will take every thing and work them together in His tapestry of good purpose, not only for my life, but for those He allows me to touch as well.

My fear that hope was vain was a lie. A lie from my enemy, not a truth from my Father.

“…Love hopes all things…” 1 Corinthians 13:7

Is there a lie standing in the way of your hope today?

Facing a chronic condition often feels like an endless hamster wheel of managing and maintaining. Few others seem to grasp what it feels like to live a life of constant monitoring, questioning every activity. Simply put, it is often lonely.

Tears for me tend to come every few months, when the spinning wheel overwhelms me again. I used to hide my tears from my children, attempting to put on a bold face, not allowing them to see how my soul was pressed.

Yet, only a few months ago, while my family worked to finish a renovation project in our garage, I swayed, dizzy. Making my way inside, I checked my sugar levels, which were low, ate in order to correct them, and lay down on my bedroom floor, face in the carpet. And the tears came once more.

My kiddos, concerned, came looking for me after just minutes away. They saw me crying, tears seeping into the floor. My daughter brought me a tissue, then laid her body on the floor, snuggled up right next to mine. My son, too, lay down on my other side. I lay sandwiched in their love and compassion.

For years, I’d sought to protect them from seeing my weakness. And yet in this moment of weakness, of brokenness, the Lord sent my sweet children as gifts to demonstrate His tenderness, His love, His nearness.

Chronic Healing emerged as a witness testifying to the grace of God and the defeat of the enemy in my life, so that you may experience them in yours. Chapter twelve did come, declaring renewed hope, declaring God’s truth: Healing is On the Way!

There is reason to hope. There is healing to be had in spirit, soul, and body. Perhaps the timing of it all is beyond our comprehension. But nothing is beyond Him.

Chronic Healing is NOW Available! When does a chronic condition open the way for God to move miraculously? Courtney shares her raw testimony here of living with Type 1 diabetes in the midst of experiencing a healing God. Order your copy today![Available at: chronichealingbook.com and Amazon] 

For Courtney Cohen, everything comes down to two questions: Who is God? And, who has He designed us to be? Whether she’s writing, speaking, or homeschooling her children, these questions propel her forward.

Author of [amazon_link id=”1938624653″ target=”_blank” ]Refining Identity[/amazon_link] and [amazon_link id=”1942362048″ target=”_blank” ]Chronic Healing[/amazon_link], Courtney passionately pursues helping others come to know the “I AM” as their closest Friend. Courtney is married to Steve, her most radical supporter, who also keeps her real. They have two children who, simultaneously, bless her socks off and keep her on her toes. Stay in touch with Courtney at her blog, IAM.NowFound.org.

Guest @CourtneyLCohen shares her journey to hope for healing of Type 1 diabetes. #hope

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Do you suffer from a chronic illness? There is #hope! Check out @CourtneyLCohen’s new book…

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The Difference Between Hoping FOR Something and Hoping IN Someone

September 20, 2016 by Lindsey 1 Comment

Hoping FOR SOMETHING is drastically different than hoping IN SOMEONE.

I know, because for a long time, I hoped for something.

I didn’t do it intentionally. In fact, I didn’t even realize I was doing it at the time. I thought I was simply living in faith. I thought I was maintaining hope through a painful situation.

Looking back now, though, I know I wasn’t really.

I was hoping that God would fix my problem.

My husband and I couldn’t carry a pregnancy to term. We miscarried one-then two-then three-then four babies we couldn’t wait to hold.

With each pregnancy, people told me, “I know this one is going to be different. Don’t give up hope.”

And so I kept hoping. Every time I saw a positive pregnancy test, I became hopeful. Finally, God was going to come through for us, I thought each time.

I was hopeful, yes, but not placing my hope where it needed to go.

I was placing my hope in God doing something, instead of simply placing my hope in Him.

Have you ever done something similar?

Have you ever misplaced your hope and placed it on SOMETHING instead of on SOMEONE?

God has been teaching me lately that misplaced hope in the midst of pain and suffering isn’t really hope at all. Or, at least, it’s not the kind of hope God longs for us to have.

In the midst of pain and suffering, the hope God desires we cling to isn’t a hope that God will fix our problems, take away our pain, or remove all obstacles from our lives. Instead, the hope God desires we cling to is the hope that He will be with us through our hardships and the hope that He will use whatever we are going through for our good and His glory.

Romans 5:3-5, in the NLT, says that we can rejoice in our trials because we know God uses them to develop endurance, character, and hope.

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”

I love what this text says about how our hope in God will not lead to disappointment!

When we hope FOR something, that thing might or might not happen. If you’re hoping for God to heal you or stop your pain or fix your problem, He might do it. I hope and pray He does. But, reality is, He might not. We might be disappointed if we are hoping FOR something to happen.

But when we hope IN God, we will not be disappointed!

There’s a huge difference between hoping FOR something and hoping IN SOMEONE, and I’d much rather take the route where I’m guaranteed not to disappointed. Wouldn’t you?

Have you ever struggled with placing your hope in something happening instead of placing your hope in God alone? Why do you think it’s so hard sometimes?

The Difference Between Hoping FOR Something and Hoping IN Someone #Hope @LindseyMBell

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Hoping FOR SOMETHING is drastically different than hoping IN SOMEONE. #Hope @LindseyMBell

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Get Your Hopes Up – Gifts in Your Future

September 15, 2016 by Lisa Burgess 22 Comments

You likely had a schedule for this week, a to-do list (if only in your mind) that you wanted to check off. How is it going so far?

We are lousy predictors of what’s next.

Five years ago (five months, five days), could you have predicted the events happening in our country today? In your church? Even in your family?

Unexpected > Expected

We can plan and prepare, but life is often more unexpected than expected. The unknown is out of our control. We don’t have the foresight or ability to stockpile enough resources in advance to prepare for every possible scenario.

We’re sometimes afraid to get our hopes up.

So how do we deal with this?

We place our hope in God’s future grace.

“Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.”
Proverbs 23:18

Gifts Ahead

Thankfully, God does know our future (Jeremiah 29:11). And because He is good, He has good plans in place for what’s next (Isaiah 46:4). Even when bad things happen alongside them.

The Lord goes before us and plants good gifts in our future. He has more than enough resources and power to line it up and give it to us at just the right time.

The Gift of Today

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Matthew 6:33-34

Once we believe in God’s provisions for tomorrow, we can better enjoy today. We can stay present, right here and now, knowing that God will handle our future. Does that mean we don’t plan for tomorrow? No. We still look ahead and prepare, but we don’t have to obsess about it and live in the future. We can live in the day.

The Gift of Giving

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:6

Once we trust that God will replenish our manna each day, we no longer have to hoard. We’re free to fully use today’s gifts today, knowing that tomorrow we’ll be given a fresh supply. Not wasting or misallocating our resources, but confidently using them in discerning ways. We are more free to meet others’ needs when we’re less consumed with getting our own needs met. Trust God to finish what He’s started in you.

The Gift of Peace

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
Lamentations 3:21-23

When we worry about the unknown, we produce anxiety not only for ourselves, but also for those around us. Isn’t it more restful instead to hope in God’s future provisions? He promises peace to those who rest in Him (Isaiah 26:3). Hoping in His future grace is a vehicle for us to receive that peace in our lives.

God at Every Turn

Each of our lives is a path. Like Billy’s path in Bil Keane’s Family Circle, it’s not a straight line. We can’t predict each step and twist along the way.

family-circus-billy_bil-keane — illustrated by Bil Keane

But what we can predict is this: God will show up at every turn.

We start at Point A. God is there. We unexpectedly go next to Point K. God has already been there, too, going before us, planting gifts along the roadside for us to pick up once we arrive. Maybe a new friend or a different job opportunity or a deeper spiritual insight.

These gifts of grace will help us get through the bad stuff, the hard stuff, and even the pleasant surprises.

We can’t know what each gift will be, or how it will be wrapped, or what time it will arrive. But we can know it will be good. It will be grace. It will be God.

Count on it. Get your hopes up. There are good gifts in your future.