Get Your Hopes Up for Good Gifts Ahead

Think about all the things that happened yesterday.

How many did you correctly predict? We are lousy predictors of what’s next.

While we can plan and prepare, life throws us more unexpected events than expected ones. We can’t control the unknown.

Because we can’t accurately predict the future, we’re sometimes afraid to get our hopes up.

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

Because God is good, we can trust he has good things in whatever comes next, even if bad things happen alongside them (Jeremiah 29:11).

Get your hopes up

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

“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

We can better enjoy today when we believe in God’s provisions for tomorrow. We can stay present, knowing that God will handle our future.

Does that mean we stop planning for the future? No. We still look ahead and prepare, but we can release the obsession about it. We can live in today.

“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

When we trust in God’s replenishment of our manna each day, we no longer have to hoard. We can freely use up today’s resources, knowing that tomorrow we’ll be given a fresh supply. We’re also more willing to share with others when we’re less consumed with getting our own needs met. We can trust God to finish what he’s started in us.

Hoping in God’s future grace is our open door to receive peace in this day.

We can’t imagine the gifts God has planned for us, how they will be wrapped, or what time they will arrive. But we can know they will be good. They will be grace. They will be God.

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

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
Psalm 23:6

* * *

Revised from the archives
at Do Not Depart

What gets you unsettled about the future? What restores your peace? Please share in the comments.

4 thoughts on “Get Your Hopes Up for Good Gifts Ahead

  1. Trudy

    “Hoping in God’s future grace is our open door to receive peace in this day.” So true, Lisa. I needed this reminder. I admit I am a worrywart. When I can rest in God’s future, never-failing grace, I can live more in embracing the beauty of today. Thank you for all your encouragement, not only in this post, but in all your hope posts. Love and blessings of hope to you!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *