How to Train Your Heart to Hope

Our world faces a great trial. People have lost loved ones. Others have lost jobs they enjoyed and income. We have had to cancel experiences, such as weddings or graduations, to unknown future dates. There is a collective experience of loss in our world today.

Our krates this month are about sharing hope, but it is hard to give hope to those around you if hope is scarce in your heart. Parenting in this season can feel like a trial of balance and endurance, but, as Christians, we are promised hope in all circumstances. Have you found yourself lacking in hope in this season? You are not alone. The Word of God can be a source of hope in times of trial and hardship.

Here are three truths from 1 Peter to train your heart to hope:

1. You are “born again into a living hope.”

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”(1 Peter 1:3)

Christians have hope in what Jesus Christ accomplished through his death and resurrection. We serve a God who had great mercy on his people. The Son of God came to us when we could not go to him through our performance or merit. We did not deserve his grace, and still, he poured out his life. When we faced our greatest trial of sin, Jesus overcame the power of death through his resurrection. He obtained for us a living hope through the gift of eternal life. We must remind ourselves daily of the work of our Savior accomplished for us, for in his work is life and hope.

2. You have a future hope.

“to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” (1 Peter 1:4-5)

As Believers, we also have hope in a good future that is eternal, whole, perfect, and unchanging. God promised that the end of our story is good. Our future in Christ will be more beautiful than we could ever hope! It is a day of no more sickness, sadness, or death. It is a day where God himself will dwell with his people and wipe away all of our tears. We have faith in this future, because God has been faithful in the past through his death and resurrection! If our God has been good enough to save us and set us free, won’t he faithful to all that he has promised to us at the end of time? The faithfulness of God’s character gives us great hope for the future! We must train our eyes to look to our future hope in Jesus.

3. Hope in how God is changing you.

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
(1 Peter 1:6-9)

God can use trials to reveal the glory of Jesus in and through your story. Suffering has a way of clarifying in our hearts what truly matters. These verses describe seasons of suffering like precious metal going through refinement. Trials can burn away the things in our lives that are earthly and temporal, and replace in our hearts a pure love for Jesus.

Romans 8 says,
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.”

Even creation “waits with eager longing” for the process of God’s children to become more Christ-like through refinement through trials and suffering. We can be sure that even in the circumstances we cannot change; God is working. He is working for our good and his glory. We can come out on the other side with faith in him more precious than gold. It is hopeful to know that our struggles are not meaningless. God is big enough to use even the worse circumstances we face!

The Bible shows us how to train our hearts to hope. We must remember what Jesus did for us. We must remind ourselves of our future. And we must see every circumstance as an opportunity to grow closer to Jesus. As we train our hearts to hope in Jesus, we are filled with hope to share with our children, our spouse, and our community! (1 Peter 3) May your heart be filled with hope! We pray that our krates this month equip your family to go and share the hope God has given you!

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About the Writer

Kate is a pastor’s wife and mom of three boys. When she’s not chasing three boys, she is one of our writers for Kids Faith Krate! She has her degree in education and has experience as a children’s minister.

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  • May 15, 2020
  • Category: News
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