April 3, 2025 – Day Twenty-Four
Hope bears us up so we don’t drown in the many difficulties that face us.
~ Pope Francis
Ponder:
Which virtue is easiest for me to practice? Which is the hardest?
Pray:
God of hope, increase my trust and hope with joy so that I may be always be an effective witness of your goodness!
Reflection from Terry Storch:
Hope is an ACTION. Hope is not wishing, or even “fake” praying when its just lip service with no heart connection or action. So, often times we are using hope in a sentence wrong, we are saying Hope when we really should be saying wish. Wish is no action.
“He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but 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 be faint.” – Isaiah 40:29-31 NIV
This is a very common and popular Scripture verse. It’s inspirational, and very comforting. But, I do not think this verse means what most read it to mean. This verse is not removing our responsibility or giving us permission to just sit back and wait on God to take care of it all. Hope is an action.
“…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.”
Hope in the Lord…not wish in the Lord or “think” or “pray” or “sit on our butts” in the Lord. Hope is movement and joining the battle on the field. We must take the step, then the next step, then the next step, even when we don’t think we can take another step, we must take the step.
Excerpts used with permission from Twenty-Third Publications.