Confident Hope • Lord, Hear Our Prayer

CONFIDENT HOPE 

I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 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 1:16-18)

HOW CAN I HAVE CONFIDENT HOPE?

When chronic pain hits, we might wonder, “How can I have confident hope?”. But I soon learned that this hope comes from drawing ever closer to the One Who gives all hope. That is, Jesus! For me, it was six months of pain before finding any answers. But when I walked through the doors at Mayo Clinic, I felt an amazing hope. Every inch of this place offered hope to me. Then I began to look around at all the others seeking to find answers. Some did not know the confident hope in Christ; however, it was quite obvious that others knew Him well.

I have met several of you who have splashed your confident hope all over me. And I thank God at every chance that through my chronic pain, you have become an essential part of my life. I pray for you often that God will continue to bless you with his wisdom and insight through the trials you face. And I believe it is through these trials that we come to truly KNOW the God of Hope. I pray that your heart is filled with His Light so that you continue in His confident hope and keep spilling it over on the rest of us.

We are His holy people and we are so blessed to be His rich and glorious inheritance. He has invested everything in us to make this possible.

PRAYER FOR CONFIDENT HOPE

Oh Lord God, thank you for bringing so many chronically wonderful friends into my life. I ask for wisdom and insight for each of us as we daily try to fight off pain with Your help. As David said, “It was good that I have suffered that I might know you,” the God of all Hope, better. Fill us with Your Light today. I pray that Your investment in us will yield great and wonderful results. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. 

Questions For Reflection

1. In what circumstances have you been abundantly blesssed by God’s confident hope?

2. Who has graciously splashed their confident hope all over you? Have you ever told them so? Have you prayed for them lately?

3. Who could you splash your confident hope all over?