October 5 Thought for the day...hope endures

Our culture tends to be very negative. The news takes the attitude if it bleeds it leads, that is the way we generally think. Our culture can be cynical, snarky, and pessimistic. The Lord wants to bring hope, love, joy, and peace in the middle of it all. The best way to make this happen is by love.

Love..." bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." 1 Corinthians 13:7

When Paul is talking about love "hopes all things" the phrase he uses means, that love is always expecting the best. Rather than expecting failure or a bad result about someone, love believes that eventually, the best outcome will happen. It is a 180-degree difference from pessimism. Our hope isn't necessarily in the people making the right decisions and wise choices, but in our believing the Lord will be able to work in and through a person,  creating an anticipation that the best about to happen. Do you feel that way? Are you always hoping for the best in every situation? God believes for the best in you!

Endurance is exhausting just to think about. Paul is telling us that when we love the way God loves it is as if a person who is under a heavy load but they refuse to give up, surrender or give in because they know they are doing exactly what they need to be doing where they need to be doing it! It means deciding rather than giving up, they will stay put refusing to surrender. This is why when we blow it, God is always there to rescue, encourage, and take us to the next level. Discipline is not something we want to think about, but too many give up trying to train their children, younger Christians, grow on their job or in life because it is hard to do. Love looks for the end result; the outcome of greater peace, love, joy, and perfect fulfillment. It takes real love to make that happen.

God is already pouring this type of love on and into your life...let him pour it through you. You may not always get it back from the people you would expect to receive from, but as you pour out, He makes sure you are loved this way in return.