Yesterday, I asked you to consider what you are hoping for. While a good thing, here is a word of caution:
Be sure the thing you hope for is not the thing you hope IN.
What do I mean?
When I was a single woman, I hoped for a husband. While my life was fine in other areas, I was unhappy about this one thing.
Every day I did not have a husband was a day I felt that I could not be completely happy.
Then one day, I had a revelation:
If I could not be happy without a husband, then I would never be happy with one! Or at least, not for long.
My husband (who turned out to be Mike Taylor) was going to be an imperfect man in the flesh.
And if I made my husband responsible for my happiness, then I would be putting expectations on him that only God can fulfill.
I realized that if I could not be happy in my relationship with a perfect God, then I would never be happy with an imperfect man!
So while I still hoped for a husband, I stopped making my happiness dependent upon getting one.
Rather, I put my hope in God – finding delight in Him – while I waited for my circumstances to change.
Because I learned to be happy before Mike arrived, his arrival only increased it.  Plus, even on those marital days when our “imperfections” come out, I can still be happy!
The bottom line is, do not make the thing you are hoping for responsible for your happiness. Even when you get it, you will still have to deal with its imperfections:
- Houses can sometimes have leaky roofs
- Cars can have mechanical problems
- Bodies still need to be maintained
- People at new jobs may get on your nerves
In Philippians 4:11-13, the apostle Paul writes about learning what to put his hope in, even in the midst of life’s imperfections:
“…for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Today,  place your hope in the Lord. In that way, you can find strength, contentment, and peace no matter the circumstances!
The material on the shirt taking back your temple was need as i expected very stretching not fitted. Hope tp purchase for your store but very hesitant because of my order.
Best wishes to you.
Hi Renita – I’ll circle back with you privately because I need clarity on what the problem is. Thanks for your feedback.
My hope is in Christ. God created my incredible body and equipped it to carry me through this time on earth. I felt doomed to carry excess fat because I’m older, even though I am a competitive powerlifter and don’t eat crazy amounts of junk. I need to drop 3 lbs to get in my weight class. The thought hit me, I SHOULD be able to lose this weight! All of the negative thoughts go somewhere and my body was reacting like I’d ordered it not to lose. God wants me to be a healthy weight more than I do. Such a flood of hope! I lost 1 lb the next day. He reminds me to think about what I think.
Diane – you nailed it “Think about what you think.” That is a key to the abundant life He promises so our thoughts need to be aligned with His thoughts so that our ways will reflect His ways.
PSALM 37:3-6
Trust in the Lord and do good;
dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.
Thanks for sharing this word, Christine. It was food for my soul!
This is a good revelation! I needed this! Thank you!
You are welcome, Nikki!