Patience

“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12) Hope is an optimistic state of mind and the confidence by the knowledge and understanding that raise expectations of what God has promised with total trust in God’s faithfulness.  A life without hope is like a sheep without a shepherd and direction, we learn this from the Word of God. Romans 15:4 says, “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” 

The Word of God is the only source and the light of our hope, even in the darkest moment. There is nothing anyone can go through that the Word of God does not have the solution. Proverbs 23:18 says, “For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off.” 

Our expectation is and should be a light to our hope when we have the knowledge, understanding, and faith in what is promised (see Hosea 4:6, Proverbs 11:9). Verse 14 of Hosea chapter 4 also says, “therefore the people that doth not understand shall fall.”

The Word Of God: God’s Faithfulness

God said, and He is still saying to us in Isaiah 45:19, “I have not spoken in secret, in a dark place of the earth: I said not unto the seed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain: I the Lord speak righteousness, I declare things that are right.” Also, see Jeremiah 29:11. The strength of our hope is the faithfulness of God, and remember, 1 Thessalonians says, “Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” Also, see Hebrews 11:6.

 Challenging moments require us to rejoice in Christ (see 1 Thessalonians 5:16, Isaiah 61:10, 1 Thessalonians 5:18) and in what has been promised, to be patient (see Hebrews 10:35-36, Lamentations 3:24-26, Job 13:15) and to always pray (see Luke 18:1, Colossians 4:2, Philippians 4:6-7, 1 Thessalonians 5:17).

The Word Of God: The Young Man 

In the story of a young man, the father will always chastise him when he misbehaves, so the young man thought the father doesn’t love him and he hates his father. Unbeknownst to this young man, the father has willed all his property, including liquid assets, to the young man, and the will was with the lawyer.

The young man hates his father, and out of frustration, the young man moved out of his father’s house. He abandoned his studies at college, began to live a frustrated life, and end up on the street and homeless. The father heard about it and was so sad. The father went to look for him several times, but the young man will always hide from his father. The father also sent people to him to come back home, but he will not listen.

The father was old, and he became sick, and he wrote a letter. In the letter, he expresses his love for his son and all his plan for him. The father mentioned all plans for his son to take over his company worth billions of dollars, but the son does not know about the company.

The father also mentioned he had willed all his money and properties to his son. The only thing the son needs to do is take this letter to the father’s lawyer. The lawyer will then hand over the will with all details to his son. The father had instructed his lawyer to hand over to his son’s will only when he presented this letter. The father died, but before his death, he sent the letter to his son.

He Refused The Letter

The message got to his son, but he refused to open the letter because he thought his father hated him, so he did not believe his father had something for him. After five years, the son became sick due to low living on the street and was rushed to the hospital. His father’s lawyer visited him at the hospital and asked him, why haven’t you come to me for your inheritance? The boy replied, what inheritance? The lawyer said, didn’t you receive the letter from your dad? He said, I did but never opened it. The lawyer said, for five years, I see that is why you have not come to me for what is yours. 

The lawyer persuaded him to open the letter and read it, he did, and he finished reading. His doctor told him he has a liver problem and had just three weeks to live. The boy bit his finger and wept all through the night. The lawyer, his doctor, and the nurses also wept for him, but it was too late. The boy died two weeks after.

When we open the letter (Bible) God left with us and continuously read it, our hope will be light up and continuously refresh our strength in Him. The Word of God is efficacious and able to build you up and give you your expectations and your inheritance; see Acts 20:32. Make the Word of God your companion and light up your hope! God bless you all.