The NIV 365 Day Devotional
Persevere in Hope
If you’ve ever been discouraged, if your past keeps you up at night, if you struggle with finding good amid your pain, consider Joseph’s story. Sold into slavery by his family, Joseph suffered many injustices over a span of years, yet he shines as an example of not giving up hope. His words to the very brothers who maliciously sold him to slave traders reveal his journey, reveal three powerful truths about hope.
Joseph spoke the truth and did not sugarcoat it. Hope is not wishful thinking. It’s grounded in the truth of a situation, yet undergirded by God’s work behind the scenes. We may think that to exercise godly hope, we have to pretend hurt didn’t happen, but Joseph demonstrates the opposite.
Joseph spoke of God and God’s fidelity even in the middle of his many trials. His hope was in God. Joseph chose hope over despair, even as his situation grew bleak.
And Joseph understood the heart of God to save many lives, not merely his. He dared to hope that his suffering meant something for the greater good of others.
Lord, in the middle of my trials, help me to exercise my hope muscle. Give me a new perspective on my situation, one beyond me. I want to trust in your work, even when I can’t discern what you’re doing. Help me to move when you say move, to be still when you say be still, and to keep my hope always in you. Amen.
What does hope mean to you? When was the last time you were tempted to give in to despair, and why?
Taken from the NIV Radiant Virtues Bible.