May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Romans 15:13

Wouldn’t it be great if when we needed joy and peace, God would air drop it into our spirits? Like an Amazon subscription for laundry detergent, it would be awesome if when we started to run low, we would get a “peace package”. Courtesy of Jesus. As Paul prays at the beginning of the verse, we are filled with expectancy. However, as soon as we reach “peace in believing,” there is a realization we must play a part. Our trust in God precedes joy, peace, and hope. It was this idea that came to mind when I had an unlikely conversation with an old friend.

We were out of touch for the better part of ten years when she saw on my social channels that I had recently published a book. She contacted me because she was working on her own project and had a few questions. Truthfully, she was unsettled and anxious about how to move forward. I encouraged her not only COULD she publish her book, but she was CALLED to do it. She paused and caught her breath. A week ago she had prayed for God to confirm His love and plans for her life. With tears we marveled at God’s plans, providence, and compassion. The timeline was mind-blowing.

God orchestrated our friendship over a decade ago. He ordained the timing for me to publish my second book. He highlighted my post on her feed even though we rarely interact (alogrithm woes). Lastly, He gave her the courage to reach out regardless of how long it had been.

My friend’s faith was enough of a spark to ignite peace and joy in her heart. As she pressed into faith, God answered, confirming her calling and filling her with peace.

The last part of the passage speaks to the idea that through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will abound in hope. That word “abound”, according to the Oxford dictionary, is defined as “abundant or plentiful”. My friend experienced abundant hope that day. Even though we may not see what lies ahead in our journey, God is prepared. He has appointed divine purposes, people, and projects for our lives.

When we stretch our faith, the God of hope will fill us with joy and peace.

Prayer:
Jesus, help me trust you fully. Show me areas where I lack peace and joy. Please give me the courage to take steps of faith that will release your abundant hope. Send people who will deepen my faith. I know I must play my part in seeking peace, show me what I can start to do today.

Dig Deeper:
Read Isaiah 11:10 and Romans 15:1-13.

Reflection Questions:

What areas of life do you need more peace and joy?
What would it look like to surrender those areas to God?

About Jess Carey

Author & Speaker

Jess Carey is the award-winning author of Chart a Course - Taking a Journey With God at the Helm. She co-authored the 12-day devotional, "Unshakable Peace in an Unsteady World." From acting in New York to running a business overseas, she is a dreamer who had to discover how to overcome a perfectionist's fear of failure. Jess' goal is to encourage every person take the next step of faith in pursuit of their own God-dream.