“What strength do I have, that I should still hope?
What prospects, that I should be patient?” ~ Job 6:11

One definition of hope is to desire with expectation of obtainment or fulfillment. It takes a huge amount of faith and as Job notes, a huge amount of strength. As we increase our years of faith we sometimes forget to increase our actual faith. Sure, we don’t know all of God’s plans or how He wants to act in our situations. And as we wait with that expectation He may deem it good to say no for reasons beyond our comprehension. But faith comes in to play by opening our hearts to hope, because while hoping FOR something we trust IN Someone.

Many of us are deceived by the enemy when it comes to hope and fall into 2 categories; we either hope God is our genie and grants at least most of our wishes or we think He’s not going to bother with our requests so why should we hope. Last year God challenged me to pray unrestricted. I laid out my heart and didn’t hold back 10% under the guise of, “well, if it’s your will.” I realized I was holding back part of me just in case God didn’t answer how I wanted. I wasn’t having faith and held on to the illusion I had some control. When the prayer wasn’t answered my hope turned to heartache for I had forgotten something key in trusting in God. I have to trust God to be God. Trust that He does work all things together for His glory and my good and is sovereignly ruling what I cannot see. I had to draw on His strength and lean not on my own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6).

“What strength do I have, that I should still hope?” (Job 6:11a) For awhile I had none because I was drawing on my own empty well. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” I wanted to not feel the hurt of my disappointment, dust the dirt off my sandals and move on. But in my weakness God gave me grace. Each day He had new grace and clothed me in His strength.

“What prospects, that I should be patient?” (Job 6:11b) Luke 12:32 says, “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.” God created everything in the Heavens and on Earth; He has unlimited resources, many that we haven’t even seen. I can be patient in hope for I know greater things await me.

I still hope with expectation because I know God has already given the greatest blessing, my salvation. I can hope FOR other things because I know He’s capable of still more smaller blessings. I can trust IN Him to discern what I can’t see or know.