Daily Devotional

-March 18, 2021-

Good morning, happy Thursday,

-Hope, Joy, And Peace In Believing-

“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

(Romans 15:13).

Today’s verse is so encouraging. It is a doxology given by the the Apostle Paul to praise God and strengthen the saints at Rome in their faith. He reminds his readers that God is a God of hope. Knowing this gives us amazing assurance and confidence to move forward in our faith. Only God can give us hope in the midst of all hopelessness.

It is a blessing to know that God fills with all joy and peace in believing. Joy is the inner happiness that comes from our relationship with the Lord Jesus and is not based on circumstances. Our circumstances fluctuate up and down as times change, but our joy remains constant.

Peace also does not need calmness or tranquility to survive or thrive, in fact, the peace of God performs best in adversity, trial, affliction, and pain. The Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” The formula always works: prayer + thanksgiving = peace.

God desires that we abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. To abound in something is grow stronger and fuller in it. Only a believer in Christ can experience joy, peace, and hope to overflowing when everything is going wrong and against us, and falling apart before our eyes. 1 Corinthians 13:13 says, “Now abide faith, hope, love, these three but the greatest of these is love.”

The hymn writer Thomas O. Chisholm wrote, “Pardon for sin and a peace that endures, Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide, strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow — Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside.” Let us then grow and abound in God’s hope, peace, and joy at all times as we keep our eyes on Jesus!

Have a blessed day filled with hope, joy, and peace. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean