Hope: An Active Force in Our Struggles

Devotional

Day 1: Hope Is an Active, Transformative Force

Hope is not passive; it compels us to lean forward, trust, and believe that there is more to the story than what we can see or experience right now. Hope is a radical force that calls us to action, to reach beyond our present circumstances, and to trust that God is still at work even when life feels uncertain or dark. It is not about ignoring pain or pretending everything is fine, but about choosing to believe that God’s story for us is not finished and that light can break through even the deepest shadows. [15:47]

Romans 5:1-5 (ESV)
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Reflection: Where in your life do you need to lean forward in hope, trusting that God is writing more to your story than what you can see today?

Day 2: God’s Presence in Our Problems

We are not called to boast about our troubles themselves, but to boast in the truth of God’s presence with us in every circumstance. Problems and suffering are part of the human condition, but they do not define us or have the final word. In the midst of difficulty, God’s grace and peace are available, and we are invited to recognize that God is with us, working for our growth and transformation, not because of who we are, but because of who God is. [19:21]

Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Reflection: How can you acknowledge God’s presence with you in a current struggle, rather than letting the struggle define your story?

Day 3: Authentic Community and the Gift of Presence

We are called into authentic community not to fix each other’s problems, but to be present with one another in the hard spaces, offering the gift of presence and reminding each other of the hope that God is with us. Scripture gives space for lament and honesty, and the heroes of faith were not immune to doubt or complaint. In community, we can hold space for grief and hope together, helping each other see even a glimmer of light in the darkness. [25:20]

Psalm 23:4 (ESV)
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Reflection: Who in your community needs your presence today, and how can you offer them the gift of simply being with them in their struggle?

Day 4: Hope Endures Through the Shadows

Even when we walk through valleys and face the shadows of life, we remember that the shadow is not the thing itself—darkness does not win, and even death has lost its sting. Hope does not guarantee that everything will turn out as we wish, but it connects us to God’s ongoing work of new creation and redemption. We are invited to trust that God is already in the future, running ahead of us, and that the story is not over. [28:22]

1 Corinthians 15:54-55 (ESV)
When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

Reflection: What is one shadow or fear you are facing, and how might hope help you see that it is not the end of your story?

Day 5: Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love

The ultimate foundation of our hope is that nothing—neither present nor future—can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. This is the truth that anchors us through every trial and gives us the authority to be agents of hope in the world. God’s love is lavishly poured out, and we are justified in being people who hope, because God is always with us, no matter what we face. [29:33]

Romans 8:38-39 (ESV)
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Reflection: In what area of your life do you need to be reminded today that nothing can separate you from God’s love?

Sermon Summary

Hope is not a passive wish or a sweet sentiment, but an active, transformative force that compels us to reach beyond what is immediately visible. In the midst of life’s challenges, hope calls us to trust that there is more to the story than what we can see or experience right now. Drawing from Romans 5, we see that hope is forged through endurance and character, not as a result of ignoring our problems, but by facing them honestly and recognizing God’s presence with us. The journey of faith is not about pretending everything is fine or putting a positive spin on hardship; rather, it’s about acknowledging the reality of suffering while holding fast to the truth that God is at work, even in the darkest moments.

Paul’s words to the church in Rome remind us that our ability to hope is not rooted in our own strength or virtue, but in the faithfulness and grace of God. The story of God’s people is one of deliverance not by their own might, but by God’s presence. This same presence is with us now, justifying us to be people of hope even when circumstances seem bleak. Hope, then, is not about boasting in our troubles for their own sake, but in the assurance that God’s love is poured out in our hearts and that our struggles are not the end of the story.

We are invited to live authentically, holding space for grief and lament alongside hope. Scripture is full of examples—heroes of faith who cried out, questioned, and lamented before God. The call is not to suppress our pain or to perform a shallow optimism, but to be real with God and with one another. In community, we become ambassadors of hope, not by offering easy answers, but by being present with each other in the hard places, reminding one another that God is with us.

Even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we are not alone. The darkness and the shadows are not the whole story. God’s love, poured out through the Holy Spirit, assures us that nothing can separate us from God. This is the foundation of our hope—a hope that does not disappoint, because it is anchored in the unchanging character of God.

Key Takeaways

1. Hope is an active force, not a passive feeling. It calls us to lean forward, to trust that there is more to our story than what we can presently see or understand. Hope is the courage to believe in God’s ongoing work, even when circumstances seem unchangeable. [16:02]
2. The process of moving from trouble to hope is not about denying pain, but about allowing endurance and character to be formed in us. Our problems are not the end, but the context in which God’s presence is revealed and our faith is deepened. [16:45]
3. Authentic Christian community is essential for sustaining hope. We are called to be present with one another in suffering, not to fix or gloss over pain, but to embody the presence of God and remind each other that we are not alone. [25:20]
4. Lament and honesty before God are integral to hope. The heroes of faith were not immune to doubt or complaint; they brought their full selves to God, trusting that God could handle their questions and pain. Hope grows alongside lament, not in its absence. [26:36]
5. The foundation of our hope is the unbreakable love of God. No circumstance, present or future, can separate us from God’s love poured out through Christ. This assurance allows us to face even the darkest valleys with confidence that the story is not over. [29:33]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[15:31] - The Nature of Hope
[16:19] - Romans 5: Hope Through Endurance
[17:00] - Paul’s Context and the Church in Rome
[18:25] - Boasting in Problems: What Does It Mean?
[19:47] - God’s Presence in Our Struggles
[20:30] - Moving Toward Perfection
[21:44] - Growth Through Trouble
[22:25] - Hope and New Creation
[23:19] - Justified to Be People of Hope
[24:07] - Holding Hope and Grief Together
[25:20] - The Gift of Authentic Community
[26:36] - Lament in Scripture
[27:44] - Shadows, Darkness, and the Light of Hope
[29:33] - Nothing Can Separate Us from God’s Love
[30:26] - The Transformative Power of Hope
[54:28] - Communion and the Love Feast
[56:30] - Closing

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Romans 5:1-5 — Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

- Psalm 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

- Romans 8:38-39
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Observation Questions

In Romans 5:3-5, what is the process Paul describes that leads from suffering to hope?
According to the sermon, what does it mean to “boast in our problems” or “glory in our sufferings”? ([18:25])
How does Psalm 23:4 describe God’s presence in the midst of dark or difficult times?
What assurance does Paul give in Romans 8:38-39 about God’s love?

Interpretation Questions

The sermon says hope is not about ignoring our problems, but facing them honestly. Why might it be important to acknowledge pain and suffering rather than pretend everything is fine? ([24:07])
How does the idea that “hope is an active force” challenge the way people usually think about hope? ([16:02])
The sermon mentions that the heroes of faith in Scripture often lamented and questioned God. What does this suggest about the relationship between faith, hope, and honesty with God? ([26:36])
In what ways does authentic Christian community help sustain hope during hard times? ([25:20])

Application Questions

The sermon says hope is “leaning forward” and trusting there is more to the story than what we can see. Is there a situation in your life right now where you need to practice this kind of hope? What would it look like to “lean forward” in that area? ([16:02])
Think about a recent challenge or time of suffering you’ve faced. Did you try to put a positive spin on it, or were you able to be honest about your pain? How did that affect your experience of hope? ([24:07])
The message encourages us to be present with others in their suffering, not to fix or gloss over pain. Can you think of someone in your life who needs you to simply be present with them right now? What might that look like this week? ([25:20])
The sermon talks about holding space for both grief and hope. How comfortable are you with expressing lament or sadness to God or others? What might help you grow in this area? ([26:36])
Paul says our hope is rooted in God’s faithfulness, not our own strength. Are there ways you’ve been trying to “manufacture” hope on your own? How can you shift your focus to God’s presence and love instead? ([19:04])
The assurance that “nothing can separate us from God’s love” is meant to be a foundation for hope. How does this truth impact the way you face uncertainty or fear? ([29:33])
The sermon highlights the importance of authentic community. What is one step you can take to build or deepen relationships with others in your faith community, especially in hard times? ([25:20])

Sermon Clips

Hope is not passive. Hope is an active and transformative force. Hope compels us to take action to reach beyond what is what is what is just right here in front of us. the only parts that we can see. Hope calls us to believe that there is more to the story. [00:15:17]

But not only that, we even take pride in our problems because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. And this hope doesn't put us to shame because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who's been given to us. [00:16:36]

And that as they faced difficulty, it was not by their own might. it was not by their own power, their own genius, their own ingenuity, but God's presence with them that they were able to come through that there was more to the story for even the heroes of our faith because of who God is. [00:17:36]

It is hard work. And I think it's a miss for the church to read a piece of scripture like this and for us all to go home just going, we should hope more. Let's just be if we're good Christians, we'll just be let's be a little more hopeful. Right? [00:18:38]

Paul works it out for us a little bit. It's not actually an encouragement to brag about our troubles. Right, you guys? wouldn't believe it. I'm in one of the worst moments of my life, right? Like I mean, and you all are supposed to go, cool. I don't know. Like, yay. No. [00:19:24]

It's not that kind of bragging. No, no, no. He's talking about God's peace. He's talking about God's grace. He's talking about a movement that can happen in our lives because problems are in fact part of all of our stories. We talk every week about the fact that we all suffer from the human condition in this life. [00:19:50]

But it is a truth of life that we face good and bad. And so Paul says, because that's the truth of life, what are we going to do about it? How are we in the midst of that truth going to still move on to perfection? Now, that's a very United Methodist phrase, a very Wesley and theological idea. [00:20:20]

The idea is a theological one that God chooses to see us through the filter of Jesus Christ and that the perfect Jesus Christ is with us and when we acknowledge that and recognize that we lean into the perfection of God and the truth of who God is. [00:21:01]

Paul tells us that there can be in the midst of any circumstance some kind of growth from trouble to patience to character to hope. And that we can boast in that. We can boast in the fact that God is with us in the midst of our difficulty. [00:21:44]

And so in the midst of it, what do we do? And so Paul connects hope with this work of new creation that God has already started. This is the business. God is in the new thing, the new creation, the redemption of all of the world. And so even in the midst of the worst, we remember God is still at work. [00:22:20]

Because see, God's running ahead of us. God's grace was and is. It surrounds us. It was and it will be. And so even though we cannot see the future, we can trust that God is already there. And God is a good God. [00:23:04]

We also get to grieve and we also get to be real honest about how it's hard. This call is again I'm disinterested in a performative Christian ethic. I'm disinterested. This call is not that we only talk about hope or we turn to hope and that means we're not supposed to feel any other feelings. [00:24:17]

And we can say things like, "This is awful. I don't know what to do. It feels really dark right now. I don't know a way out. I don't know a way forward." And we're able to be present with one another and be ambassadors of hope, which does not mean we try to clean it up, which does not mean, "Oh, it's all fine." [00:24:51]

So, so scripture gives us a place for lament. I it's not just a casual mention that the church has kind of missed it a little bit, but scripture hasn't. In fact, all the heroes of faith that Paul mentions in this letter, he even mentions our pal Habachok. [00:25:34]

And so as we pass through in our lives and we have and we will valleys of shadows, we remember that it is not the whole story. Even even if the hope we hold on to is that God has prepared a place in advance for us. And one day all of the world will be redeemed to the goodness of God. [00:28:42]

Because nothing can separate us from the love of God. That's the point of the whole thing. This the whole reason he makes this whole historical argument and he asks us to consider our present is so that he can say because here's what I want you to know beyond knowing nothing present future can separate us from the love of the God who is with us. [00:29:30]

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