GOD OF HOPE

Daily Stop & Thinks

Stop & Think: April 30, 2026

Hope

Hope fills the afflicted soul with such inward joy and consolation that it can laugh while tears are in the eye, sigh, and sing all in a breath. (William Gurnall, 17th century author and clergyman)

Gurnall calls this “the rejoicing of hope.” Even when life brings difficulties into our experience, we can be comforted. We can cry while also having a sense of well-being. Sadness and joy can both be present in the difficult events of life. How? By finding our deepest joy from a strong relationship with God.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope (Romans 15:13).

Stop & Think: April 29, 2026

Hope

Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next. (Gilda Radner, late American actress and comedian)

Radner also said, “I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned the hard way that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end.” She calls this, “Delicious Ambiguity.” Well, life does have its surprises, and things don’t always work out the way we want, so we need to latch on to the strong anchor that God offers.

We have this hope [in God] as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure (Hebrews 6:19).

Stop & Think: April 28, 2026

Hope

If man is not made for God, why is he happy only in God? (Blaise Pascal, 17th century French philosopher)

We live in a society that has become more and more godless. Atheists and agnostics often take center stage these days, attracting many non-religious people or dissatisfied “believers.” When life becomes difficult, however, the stress of disappointment and failure may cause many to realize the futility of life without God.

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God (Psalm 42:5).

Stop & Think: April 27, 2026

Hope

Creativity comes from trust. Trust your instincts. And never hope more than you work. (Rita Mae Brown, author)

Creativity, trust, instincts, hope, work—these are very valuable concepts whose meanings cannot be fully grasped in a sentence or two. Creativity is innate; we all have it to some degree. Trust is only as good as its object, so be cautious about instincts. If hope is only a wishful desire, then you had better work hard to achieve your goals.

This is why we work hard . . . for our hope is in the living God, who is the Savior of all people (1 Timothy 4:10).

Stop & Think: April 26, 2026

Hope

Hope, it seems, is not related to our circumstances but rather to our relationships. (Kip Cone, pastor)

The Bible often speaks about hope and faith together. “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for” (Hebrews 11:1). Faith is only as good as its object. Don’t put your faith, for example, in a broken chair. Hope, on the other hand, is the expectation of something promised by someone with whom you have a trusting relationship.

. . . joyful are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the Lord their God (Psalm 146:5).

Stop & Think: April 25, 2026

Hope

The fear of death is engrafted in the common nature of all men, but faith works it out of Christians. (Vavasor Powell, 17th century Welsh Puritan)

The fear of death seems to be universal. When we’re young, we feel almost immortal. Later, we don’t like to talk about death, as if talking might make it happen. But we need to face its reality because the Bible says all of us are destined to die and after that there’s a judgment. The good news is that the Bible also offers hope beyond death to those who put their faith in God.

Anyone who is among the living has hope (Ecclesiastes 9:4).

Stop & Think: April 24, 2026

Hope

Become a possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see the possibilities. (Norman Vincent Peale, late clergyman and author)

Sometimes we become discouraged because circumstances seem to be working against us, and our hope for success begins to fade. It’s then that we need a friend or counselor who can help us see beyond the present to consider what can be done to reclaim our lost hope and move toward success. Trust the God of the impossible.

Everything is possible for one who believes (Mark 9:23).

Stop & Think: April 23, 2026

Hope

Belief isn’t just about being sincere. If you really really believe you can fly, you’ll really really get hurt. (Kevin DeYoung, theologian and historian)

Many people seem to think that as long as they have faith, they’ll be okay. But, as DeYoung points out, faith must be placed in something that is real and true. Blind faith will lead nowhere good. The strength of faith is all about where that faith is placed. Be sure to trust in what is eternal and true.

Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).

Stop & Think: April 22, 2026

Hope

Hope is a renewable option. If you run out of it at the end of the day, you get to start over in the morning. (Barbara Kingsolver, novelist and essayist)

Like so many other intangibles, hope comes from one’s inner makeup. People who are strong and resilient overcomers are able to draw from their inner self. In spite of their own difficult obstacles, they inspire us all to keep going with “strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow” (a line from the hymn, Great Is Thy Faithfulness.)

Set yourselves apart to the Lord. Tomorrow he’ll do amazing things among you (Joshua 3:5).

Stop & Think: April 21, 2026

Hope

What a grand world this would be if we all did as well today as we expect to do tomorrow! (Anonymous)

Like the song from Annie, tomorrow always holds hope for better things no matter how bad everything might seem to be today.  Another song reminds us that yesterday has gone and tomorrow may never come. We do have today, so let’s live it to the fullest. Let’s do our best, remembering that “hope springs eternal.”

Tomorrow the Lord will do great wonders among you (Joshua 3:5).

Stop & Think: April 20, 2026

Hope

Each time a person . . . acts to improve the lot of others . . . he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope. (Robert F. Kennedy, late U.S. attorney general)

You might think that your little effort on behalf of others doesn’t really make much difference. But, when combined with similar good deeds of others, the aggregate effort can be significant. Nothing can stop the united efforts of sincere and repeated good works for the benefit of others. So, keep up the good works!

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9).

Stop & Think: April 19, 2026

Hope

Little progress can be made by merely attempting to repress what is evil; our great hope lies in developing what is good. (Calvin Coolidge, 30th U.S. president)

It is abundantly evident in this 21st century that there is plenty of evil in the world. The many efforts of untold hundreds of organizations to defeat crime and evil seem to have accomplished little. Perhaps it’s time to follow Coolidge’s’ advice and try a different tack, a positive effort to do good, to share hope, to work for peace and safety.

Never let evil get the best of you; instead, overpower evil with the good (Romans 12:21).