His Word Brings Joy Part Six

God’s Word is Full of Hopeful Promises

My circumstances were dire in 2016; almost everything in my life: family, marriage, finances, health imploded. I remember a night when I fell asleep holding my Bible – clinging to the hopeful promises and comfort inside its pages – and woke up with it smashed against my side. 

The Bible contains about 7,000 promises made to humankind (and I probably read half of them that night). Talk about hope! I believe that hope and joy hold hands, so when we focus on His promises and plans, this produces great joy. Despite my considerable pain, there was joy through the tears in that long season as God’s promises buoyed me each day. 

Here are a few of my favorites from that time:

• “In His great mercy, He has given us new birth into a living hope…this inheritance is kept in heaven for you.” 1 Peter 1:3-4
• “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. They will be like a tree planted by water that sends its roots by the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought.” Jeremiah 17:7-8
• “You will show me the path of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” Psalm 16:11
•  “God has said, ‘never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:15

So. Much. Hope. 

If one of these scriptures feels like a big hug, I encourage you to memorize it.