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

Hope is something that many in this world do not have. Everything in their lives appears to be falling apart, including the world around them. All that is shown in the news is death and destruction.

People are struggling to find joy and peace, causing them to look for both in places where there is only death and more pain.

As Paul is drawing to close on his letter to the Romans, he is praying that God will fill them with joy and peace as they trust in Him. The reason for this is so that they may overflow with hope through the Holy Spirit.

Along with the world, many believers have lost a lot of joy and peace as they look at what is occurring around the world. Not being blind, they also see death and destruction. It does not appear as if God is doing anything to stop the evil that is rising.

Strong and true believers, however, will see things differently. While they see the death and destruction, they know that God and His followers will win in the end. The recognize that God’s word says that things will get worse before they will get better.

In knowing this, they have a joy and a peace that the world cannot know nor understand. The Holy Spirit residing in them gives them power to stand strong and true for God. They know that God is working out all things for their good, despite the circumstances around them.

Believers, who are standing like this, are looking forward to the day when Jesus returns and wins the battle for eternity.

Allow the Holy Spirit to fill you with His power and hope to make it through the battles in your life. As you trust in God, you will be filled with a joy and a peace that all will be well in the end and that you are on the winning side.

Do not let the death and destruction of this world rob you of the joy and peace God has for you. This world will die and all death and destruction will be destroyed for eternity some day soon when Jesus returns to take you home for eternity.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will know the joy in trusting God; that you will know the peace in trusting God; that you will overflow with hope in Jesus; that you will be filled, led and empowered by the Holy Spirit.