Where is hope in this dark world? How can anyone have hope for the future? And who doesn’t face personal uncertainty? You lose a job or retire. What are you going to do now? It seems like taxes keep getting higher. Your home needs maintenance – where’s the money going to come from? And if you have children or grandchildren, you always carry each of them in your heart. So how do we not struggle with fear of the future? How can we find hope?

We live in a world that doesn’t seem to have much hope.

Sunday night a gunman killed 59 people in Las Vegas, the worst mass shooting in American history. North Korea continues to try to develop long-range missiles. Not to mention recent hurricanes that battered the Caribbean, Florida, and Texas. Where is hope in this dark world? How can anyone have hope for the future?

And who doesn’t face personal uncertainty? You lose a job or retire. What are you going to do now? It seems like taxes keep getting higher. Your home needs maintenance – where’s the money going to come from? And if you have children or grandchildren, you always carry each of them in your heart. So how do we not struggle with fear of the future? How can we find hope?

And I don’t know about you, but I’m often tempted to think what if I miss God’s will for my life? What if I didn’t pray enough about that life-changing decision I made months ago? What if I’m supposed to be doing something else right now? We have an enemy who wants to rob us of hope, but God assures us in his word we have a bright future.

But God gives us incredible promises to give us hope for the future, both in this life and especially the next. Here are 10…

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. JER 29.11

God has specific wonderful plans for each of his children. Plans for our good. Plans for our joy. Plans to give us a future and a hope. And no one can thwart those plans. I don’t know how or when God will work out his plans for me, but I know he will. And his timing will be perfect.

I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living!
Wait for the LORD;
be strong, and let your heart take courage;
wait for the LORD! PS 27.13-14

God promises believers will see his goodness in this life. We certainly will see his goodness in heaven but we’ll see it here as well. We’ll see God answer prayers and meet needs. We will experience his joy. We’ll see him work in our kids. Don’t give up! Keep hoping and waiting for the Lord’s perfect timing. Be strong and take courage in your heart. Your hope won’t be disappointed. You do have hope for the future!

Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind! PS 31.19

God has not just a few sparse blessings, but ABUNDANT goodness STORED UP for us, and he waits for his perfect timing to shower it on us. We can’t even imagine all the blessings God has in store for us.

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. PS 138.8

Have you ever wondered what your purpose in life is? Sometimes I wonder if I might be missing God’s will for my life. But God promises that HE has a purpose for my life and HE will fulfill it! This gives me great hope!

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. PHP 1.6

God finishes what he starts. When God saved you he began an incredibly good work in you – to transform you into the likeness of Christ. Everything we go through, good and bad, is controlled by his sovereign hand to conform us to Christ. He won’t fail. There won’t be any “unfinished” believer in heaven. God works in our lives every day and at “the day of Jesus Christ” we will be like him.

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