GOD OF HOPE

Daily Stop & Thinks

Stop & Think: September 19, 2025

Perspective

A negative mind will never give you a positive life. (Lewis Hamilton, British racing driver)

It seems that, in today’s society, there are as many (or more) naysayers than those with a positive outlook. Such people seldom appear to be upbeat and happy. You’d think they would want to change their perspective on life. It’s important to realize that a positive mindset may well determine your overall well-being and outlook.

Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes (Ephesians 4:23).
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable (Philippians 4:8). 

Stop & Think: September 18, 2025

Keep On!

Keep going because you did not come this far just to come this far. (Jesse Itzler, entrepreneur and author)

It’s easy for some of us to be satisfied with the status quo, isn’t it? We’re happy to be where we are, perhaps because the struggle to get here was so difficult. For most of us, however, we’re not really content with the present because there is so much more we’d like to do. With lessons learned from past experience and careful planning for the next step, let’s be sure to move on.

I pray . . . that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding (Philippians 1:9).

Stop & Think: September 17, 2025

Necessary Change

Permit yourself to change your mind when something is no longer working for you. (Nedra Glover Tawwab, writer)

It’s not always easy to change your mind. We may have made a promise and think we must keep it even if it has turned out to be a bad decision. That could just be stubbornness. We’re often faced with challenges to change our thinking about social issues, politics, or even religion. When that happens, we ought to study the issues carefully and change when we should.

Don’t trap yourself by making a rash promise (Proverbs 20:25).
Don’t make rash promises (Ecclesiastes 5:2).

Stop & Think: September 16, 2025

Haves and Have-nots

Once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack. (J Paul Nadeau, motivational speaker and author)

Have you found Nadeau’s observation to be true? Take a little time to evaluate your thought life. Are you too often wishing for things you don’t have or experiences you long for? Are you comparing your haves and have-nots with your neighbors’? Why don’t you make a list of all you do have that brings you and your family pleasure, and take time to enjoy them?

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

Stop & Think: September 15, 2025

Hope

Hope doesn’t go to sleep just because it’s dark outside; it lights up a candle and stays up waiting for the rest of the story. (Bob Goff, best-selling author)

In times of distress of one kind or another, we hang on to as much hope as we can muster under the circumstances. And hope should be more persistent than our worrying over tough times. We can rest at night if we are sustained by an unwavering hope. No matter the difficulty, genuine hope will carry us through when it’s anchored in something or someone strong and unfailing.

Why am I discouraged? . . . I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God. . . . O Lord, you alone are my hope (Psalm 42:5; 71:5).

Stop & Think: September 14, 2025

Truth vs. Loyalty

Truth is far more important than loyalty. Get that wrong, and your world collapses. (Chuck Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship)

Colson is sadly speaking from experience. Known as the hatchet man for President Nixon, his loyalty to him resulted in a prison sentence. That experience changed his life and the prison system. Afterwards, he commented, “You cannot live your life other than walking in the truth. Your means are as important as your ends.”

A person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea. . . . Their loyalty is divided between God and the world, and they are unstable in everything they do (James 1:6, 8).

Stop & Think: September 13, 2025

Following

Faith never knows where one is being led, but loves and trusts the One leading. (Oswald Chambers, 20th century Scottish author)

Team players must have unlimited trust in their leaders. If the one in charge isn’t trustworthy, his or her followers will soon leave the team and move on to safer pursuits. It isn’t that we have to know the destination, but we must believe that the leader will teach and train us and take us there without fail.

Remember your leaders who taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives, and follow the example of their faith (Hebrews 13:7).

Stop & Think: September 12, 2025

Challenges

Sometimes what you’re most afraid of doing is the very thing that will set you free. (Robert Tew, author)

Often, what we fear is either something that reminds us of a past failure or something ahead that seems insurmountable. In either case, we can make no progress so long as we refuse to face our fears. Tew suggests that if we accept the challenge, we may discover that succeeding in the thing we feared sets us free to accept it and even greater obstacles.

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand (Isaiah 41:10).

Stop & Think: September 11, 2025

Discipleship

The disciple is always ready to take the next step, even if it costs [him or her] everything [he or she] has gained to date. (source unknown; quoted by Pastor Chris Suitt)

Whether it’s a teacher and student, a boss and intern, or a religious leader and a follower, this is an important principle. If the leader is held in high esteem, the learner willingly gives up his or her personal ideas to take that next step, no matter how uncertain it may seem. It’s important to be a positive example others will want to emulate.

And you yourself must be an example to them by doing good works of every kind. Let everything you do reflect the integrity and seriousness of your teaching (Titus 2:7).

Stop & Think: September 10, 2025

Instructions

People need to be reminded more often that they need to be instructed. (Kenneth J. Brown, author)

Once we graduate or complete a training course, we usually feel like we have everything under control and we’re ready for whatever comes our way. That might work for a while, but there may come a time when we really don’t know what we’re doing or how to handle a troublesome situation. We will always need instruction because there will always be something to learn.

The instruction of the wise is like a life-giving fountain; those who accept it avoid the snares of death (Proverbs 13:14).

Stop & Think: September 9, 2025

Attitudes

We operate under the assumption that if we change the scenery of our life, we will be fine. (former pastor)

That’s the way we often think, isn’t it? If I just had a different job; if I could move to a nicer community; if-if-if; it could go on and on. Of course, we know that such longings aren’t going to change anything. If we change our attitude and acknowledge that those changes wouldn’t make much difference, we may discover life works better without the ifs.

For the Kingdom of God is . . . living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too. (Romans 14:17-18).

Stop & Think: September 8, 2025

Perspective

We let our experiences with disappointment color our expectations of fulfillment. (Chris Tiegreen, devotional writer)

For some people, there seem to be more disappointments than fulfilled hopes and dreams. Whether it’s an imagined jinx or just coincidence, it still makes life hard for them. Tiegreen may be suggesting that we just need to change our perspective. Instead of expecting the worst, begin to anticipate the happy consequences of our actions and hopeful dreams.

It is pleasant to see dreams come true (Proverbs 13:19).