GOD OF HOPE

Daily Stop & Thinks

Stop & Think: April 18, 2026

Hope

Everything that is done in the world is done by hope. (Martin Luther, reformer)

Many factors motivate people to move ahead, to pursue a dream or a vision. Luther suggests that hope may be the greatest motivation of all. But, if we think the future is uncertain or that what we are pursuing can’t succeed, we fear losing our dream. In other words, if we have no hope, our dreams will certainly fail. It’s a certain hope that keeps us seeking worthy goals.

You will be secure, because there is hope . . . Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord (Job 11:8; Psalm 31:24).

Stop & Think: April 17, 2026

Hope

Man is a creature of hope and invention, both of which belie the idea that things cannot be changed. (Tom Clancy, late author and screenwriter)

Sometimes we feel as if we’re caught in an unpleasant situation from which there seems to be no escape. Our past experience may be telling us that we can’t change our circumstances—that we’re trapped by unalterable conditions. But, as Clancy points out, our hope lies in our creative abilities to find a way to overcome.

But if we wait expectantly for things we have never seen, then we hope with true perseverance and eager anticipation (Romans 8:25).

Stop & Think: April 16, 2026

Hope

Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. (Albert Einstein, noted scientist)

The past is important not only because of pleasant memories of better days, but also because of the lessons learned. Since today is the only time we are guaranteed to have, and it could be gone in a flash, live large today! With what we’ve learned from the life lessons of the past, we can make the most of today and move on into a hopeful future.

So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands (Psalm 78:7).

Stop & Think: April 15, 2026

Hope

When you forgive, anxiety gets better; depression gets better. You have more hope. (Everett Worthington, psychologist)

Are you anxious or depressed today? Worthington suggests that one of the causes of anxiety may be an unforgiving spirit. When someone has been hurt so deeply that he or she simply can’t get over it and forgive the offender, anxiety and depression only worsen. Choosing to forgive will relieve the anxiety, avoid depression, and restore lost hope.

Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! (Psalm 43:5)

Stop & Think: April 14, 2026

Hope

We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope. (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

Life is full of disappointments. Much of the time, that’s because what happens doesn’t live up to our expectations. Often, we have very selfish, shallow, and unrealistic expectations. And our hope, like faith, is placed in untrustworthy realities. But no matter how difficult, a life that is grounded in reality and truth, can have infinite hope.

Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you (Psalm 25:5).

Stop & Think: April 13, 2026

Hope

Happiness is letting go of what you think your life is supposed to look like and celebrating it for everything that it is. (Mandy Hale, blogger and author)

When life doesn’t give us all that we hope for, we may be inclined to think we have failed. That kind of mindset will surely lead to depression and unproductive living. As Hale suggests, perhaps we would be happier if we stopped wishing things were different and began to appreciate things as they are and the opportunities we may have to improve on them.

I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live (Ecclesiastes 3:12).

Stop & Think: April 12, 2026

Hope

Societies are changed from the bottom up, not the top down. (John Naisbitt, author and public speaker

In each election cycle we tend to place our hope in a candidate, expecting that he or she can bring change and improvement to our society. As Naisbitt points out, however, lasting change must come from the citizens themselves. Our involvement is the best hope for significant change. And meaningful change begins with our own hearts.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think (Romans 12:2).

Stop & Think: April 11, 2026

Hope

Let your dreams, not your regrets, take command of your life. (Robert Schuller, late TV preacher)

Many people seem to be so wrapped up in things that didn’t go right—their failures and disappointments—that progress in their lives has almost come to a halt. Schuller encourages us to think of what we’d like to see happen. He says, “Build a dream, and the dream will build you.” Dreams build hope. It’s better to dream and look to the future than to live a life of regrets.

In the same way, wisdom is sweet to your soul. If you find it, you will have a bright future, and your hopes will not be cut short (Proverbs 24:14).

Stop & Think: April 10, 2026

Hope

A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they will never sit in. (Greek proverb)

Gardeners and farmers like to see their plants grow and produce in a single season. Landscape architects’ plans have a more distant horizon. They think long-term, envisioning a full-grown scene with both perennials and annuals. Likewise, wise people think and plan beyond the immediate future. They hope to make a lasting difference.

Your future is bright and filled with a living hope that will never fade away (Proverbs 23:18).

Stop & Think: April 9, 2026

Hope

Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted. (William Bruce Cameron, author)

Cameron may be a humorist, but his comment here carries a significant message. So much of what people count on (money, jobs, emotional fulfillment) can be taken away with devastating consequences. The more secure and trustworthy the foundations are, the more things that can’t be measured or counted—like love, faith, and hope—can be trusted. You can count on them.

Now these three remain: faith, hope and love (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Stop & Think: April 8, 2026

Hope

There is no future in any job. The future lies in the person who holds the job. (George Crane, late newspaper columnist.)

Graduates often pin their hopes on finding just the right job, the one that promises security and a successful future. In reality, while having the job one is truly fitted for is important, the critical issue is the employee. The job’s success depends more on the character and persistence of the worker than the job description.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11).

Stop & Think: April 7, 2026

Hope

There is one thing which gives radiance to everything. It is the idea of something around the corner. (G. K. Chesterton, British apologist)

Life has its ups and downs for all of us. There are times when we feel really hopeless, thinking that nothing will ever be right again. But Chesterton reminds us that there is always tomorrow, always another day for things to improve, for our circumstances to change for the better. Wait expectantly with hope that tomorrow will bring a good new beginning.

Anyone who is among the living has hope. . . . There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off (Ecclesiastes 9:4; Proverbs 23:18).