Endurance for the Journey, Featured, Hope

I pray that God, the source of hope,
will fill you completely with joy and peace
because you trust in him.
Then you will overflow with confident hope
through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13

This morning as I spent time with Jesus, I realized something important. For most of my life, I’ve measured the strength of my faith by how consistent my prayer life is, how much I read the Scriptures, and how I serve God.

But today the Lord showed me a much deeper truth. I came across this powerful devotional by C.H. Spurgeon, and it really spoke to my heart. He wrote:

“Therefore, do not look so much to your hand with which you are grasping Christ as to Christ Himself. Do not look to your hope but to Jesus, the source of your hope. Do not look to your faith but to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of your faith. We will never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our deeds, or our feelings. It is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we are to overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by looking to Jesus. Keep your eyes simply on Him. Let His death, His suffering, His merits, His glory, His intercession be fresh upon your mind. When you awaken in the morning, look to Him. When you lie down at night, look to Him. Do not let your hopes or fears come between you and Jesus. Follow hard after Him, and He will never fail you.”

Those words really landed with me. I long for my soul to find its rest in Jesus, not in my own efforts. I still struggle with prayer and staying focused in the Scriptures, but I’m learning to simply look to Him.

As I sit here looking out over the beauty of the valley in Phoenix, I’m overwhelmed by God’s faithfulness, His love, and His mercy toward me right where I am.

So if you’re struggling today, be encouraged. God understands exactly where you are on this journey. Just look to Jesus. Lean into Him. The more you get to know Him, the more of His life flows through you.

Jesus is everything. And because He lives in us, we are everything in Him.

On the journey with you,
Dave Dravecky