THE KEY TO FINDING HOPE IN TOUGH TIMES by Grace Fox

I am so excited to share this with you, my friends!

One of my favorite and most admired Christian authors, Grace Fox, has written a devotion just for us! Grace’s beautiful new book, Finding Hope in Crisis: Devotions for Calm in Chaos, contains ninety hope-filled devotions like this to bring peace to our overwhelmed hearts. I’m finding comfort and encouragement in them every morning–crisis or not!

Please enjoy this special treat from Grace today:

The last year has been tough for everyone, yes? Personally, COVID-19 canceled all international ministry trips my husband and I had planned. This meant losing opportunities to share the Gospel overseas as we’ve done annually for more than a decade and to provide in-person encouragement to our missionary staff. Besides that, the pandemic has hindered us from seeing our kids and grandchildren, welcoming neighbors into our boat-home for meals, and properly celebrating my mother’s life when she passed away. The list goes on.

 Perhaps you can relate. Collectively, we’ve lost loved ones, dreams, jobs, fellowship, and freedoms. COVID-19 has taken so much, but we dare not let it steal our hope. John Maxwell says we can rise above all other losses and keep going. But when a man loses his hope, there’s nothing to do but bury him. 

Hope is sometimes defined as “a positive feeling that what we want to happen will happen.” A Bible dictionary goes deeper, defining it as “a trustful expectation, particularly with reference to the fulfillment of God’s promises. Biblical hope is the anticipation of a favorable outcome under God’s guidance.”

We cannot concoct Biblical hope based on warm, fuzzy feelings about what we want to happen. Romans 15:13 says it’s found in God alone. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” 

God is the origin of hope because, unlike our circumstances, He never changes. He is always powerful, wise, sovereign, and good. He’s our guide, our comforter, our rock that remains steadfast when everything around us crumbles. He’s our constant companion who has promised never to leave us—not even for a moment. 

God always comes through for us when we choose to trust Him in the face of hardship. He teaches us to view our trials not as something to dread but as opportunities for joy (James 1:2). He fills us with peace that passes human understanding. And He equips us to face come-what-may with the same Holy Spirit power that raised Christ from the dead (Romans 8:11; Ephesians 1:19,20). He’s given us everything we need not only to cope, but to flourish.

The last year’s been tough, and we don’t know what lies ahead. Regardless, we can face each day with courage. The truth is—COVID-19 is not in control; God is. Therein lies our confidence. Therein lies our hope.

Grace Fox is a career global worker, speaks at women’s events overseas and across North America, and has authored ten books. She’s a regular contributor to Mornings with Jesus (Guideposts) and a member of the “First 5” writing team for Proverbs 31 Ministries. Her new devotional Finding Hope in Crisis: Devotions for Calm in Chaos is available wherever Christian books are sold.