With the large family we have, I created an online, ready-made, grocery shopping list. With one click, all of the typical items we buy are put into our virtual cart, and I scan down the list to see if there is anything we don’t need.
Recently, I’ve created a “Hoping List.” These are scriptures that I turn to when my hope is gone. When I am discouraged, I read verses that remind me that the Lord delivers me out of my troubles (Psalm 34:17–19) and He is close to the brokenhearted (Psalm 147:3). When I am overwhelmed, I read that I can cast my burdens to the Lord (Psalm 55:22). When I am weary, I am reminded that those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31).
I find hope by exchanging my worries with the truth in God’s Word. Scripture reminds me to turn to Jesus, to still my thoughts, and to trust Him (Colossians 3:2). Hope isn’t limited to my own resources. Instead, I can tap into Jesus’s abundance anytime. God’s Word doesn’t cost a penny (unlike groceries). Just as my online shopping list is accessible to me anytime day or night, so is my Hope.
My “Hoping List” reminds me that even though I sometimes get low on hope, replenishing it is only an arm’s length away in my Bible, and Jesus is only a prayer away.
—Tricia Goyer
