Napoleon Bonaparte once said, “A leader is a dealer in hope.” While it is interesting coming from him, I certainly agree that hope is crucial. We all want to have hope, follow leaders who have hope and be around people who deal in hope. We don’t want to be hopeless, following people who have no hope, and be around people who are defeated and lack hopefulness. Napoleon is on to something here.
As Christ-followers, we know the One who is the author of hope. He is not only a dealer of hope, He is the creator of hope. Paul gets right to the point in his book to the Romans, and I find it to be an encouraging scripture: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit [Romans 15:13].
Notice three things:
- He is the God of hope.
- He can fill you with joy and peace as you trust in Him.
- He desires to overflow you with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
As I meditate on these three lines I am inspired and hopeful. In a day when there is much to be discouraged by and concerned about, we can have HOPE. God is my God and He is THE God of HOPE! He is the author, dealer, creator and fulfiller of hope. I will celebrate Him as my God and my source of hope. He will fill my heart with such things as joy (I need joy) and peace (I need peace) as I trust in Him (I place all my trust in Him). To know that He is at work in me and will overflow my life with hope by the power of His Spirit is powerful and deeply moving. I’m inspired by my God and His promise to produce hope in me.
Let me encourage you to hold onto hope! You do this by holding onto God! Trust in Him daily. Talk to Him regularly. Turn to Him constantly. He will flood your heart and mind with hope.