Tag: Hope

Three things to know about Hope…

What is hope? How does having hope help us? What is your hope in? First what is hope according to the dictionary, “it is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.” “A feeling of trust.”  Having hope helps us stay in expectancy it gives us a good feeling of a welcomed outcome. Hoping in a good outcome keeps one positive but what happens when your outcome does not happen the way you wanted? What can happen is despondency, despair or depression. But it doesn’t have to when you know where to place your hope it guards you from the D’s of life.  

In dealing with the loss of someone’s hope, it is important to look at what kind of hope they placed their trust in. At times we can place our hope in things and people that we have no control over. Life can change in an instant and hope can be dashed within seconds. Unfortunately, we cannot foresee every aspect that life brings. This is when we need a solid ground for our hope to be in. Putting hope into an outcome or a person is not as solid as we can imagine. But placing our hope in God is a solid foundation.

Putting your hope in God means your trusting Him with your outcome in situations and life. As we go through this life, we can be assured that God is faithful to His Word. The word of God tells us in Romans 15:13 “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him. So that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy spirit.” Even though we may experience hardships, trials and sorrow God promises to walk through those with us.

The first thing about hope is ask yourself, ‘what are you placing your hope in?’ Ask yourself is it realistic, is it a doable plan are you prepared to wait. Count the cost! All dreams, plans, or visions for future take effort and time. Therefore, give yourself a realistic plan to hold onto. I choose to place my plans in God’s hands. I want His plan for my life. I have learned through the years He usually places a desire on your heart and as you prayerfully press into it you will know His will and plan.

The second thing to know about hope, ‘there is a waiting period.’ If we have it at once, we do not need hope. But what you do as you wait makes an enormous difference in your life and disposition.  I choose to wait on God. I know He is faithful to His Word. He strengthens and gives us the grace to wait. His peace and joy will sustain you also as you wait. I choose to speak His Word aloud to myself at times because it produces faith to sustain a wait. The outcomes we want do not necessarily happen exactly the way we want but as your hope, trust and faith are placed in God He will produce in you a disposition that is maturing as you wait.

The third thing to know about hope is ‘God is our hope.’  Hebrews 6:19 “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, 20) where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” This hope is a solid foundation in Jesus Christ sacrifice for our salvation. He bought our forgiveness. We are His Children when we repent and accept Jesus Christ and live in Him.

When hope wanes and the wait is long remind yourself God has you and is with you, because your hope in Him is the anchor of your soul. Your trust is placed in Him and not in yourself.

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him. So that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy spirit.”

What is The Difference Between Positivity and Trusting God.

Trusting God

What is positivity? How does it differ from trusting? Is it a good thing to always be positive? How do you know if your being just positive when it comes to trusting God?

What does positivity mean? The dictionary states, “Positivity: The practice of being or tendency to be positive or optimistic attitude.” I believe the practice of being optimistic is helpful to support and endure opposition. Being positive can be helpful unless it is unrealistic and not based in truth. Being positive and speaking truths to yourself is helpful in many ways.

What does trust mean? The word trust means “1) firm belief in the character, strength or truth of someone or something. 2) a person or thing in which confidence is placed. 3) confident hope: I waited in trust of their return.”  Trusting God is placing your belief in His existence, character, and Word. It is placing your confidence and hope in God and relying on His Word as His truth. This is trusting God.    

When I first got saved it was in the late 70’s and I was introduced to what is called “name it and claim it.” This period was a part of the charismatic movement. I’m not sure where it originated from but I believe it was taken out of context, with the bent towards having a ‘positive attitude’ where you only ‘spoke positive’ and never talked about the symptoms you had.

If you were prayed for ‘you should say I’m healed’ whether you felt it or not because that was considered a faith statement. Although the healing movement was supernatural and powerful healings and miracles were taking place and still do by God. I believe also individuals took statements made by some preachers out of context and decided you could have whatever you said. It was out of balance.

It is wisdom to pray, call things that are not as though they are when God leads you to. But just saying ‘I claim that or this,’ isn’t always based in scriptural context or inspired by The Holy Spirit. If it is not inspired by God, the Holy Spirit then it’s not happening.

I was a young wife and mother and thought I was believing God for a miracle in my hips. I was left disappointed in the early 80s after I had to have open heart surgery and two hip replacements. Because I confessed, ‘I was healed.’ As a young adult I was left disappointed and bewildered. Because back then my own experience was if you did not get a miracle, healed or were not blessed financially you were considered ‘to not have enough faith.’ This fallacy caused me hurt and I began thinking ‘that something was wrong with me.’ Unfortunately, I pulled away from God at that time for several reasons. Eight years later I became born again, He delivered me from marijuana, cigarettes and anger. He set me free, my heart was renewed, and He baptized me in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit taught me the way to keep my deliverance.

He showed me my faith was not really on God concerning a healing, it was on a method I was taught. Just because you say ‘I’m healed’ if it is not based in Him and by Him and His Word there is no power in it.

I have seen God miraculously heal people. I have experienced His healing and delivering power in my life. I have learned you do not have to say ‘your healed’ if you do not sense it, you can say I’m believing for a healing, I’m trusting God for a healing, today I hurt thank you for praying. I’m still believing God for the manifestation of healing. This will continue to build your faith and trust in God. Basing your faith on God Almighty, because of Jesus’ sacrifice and atonement for you, to be healed. Trusting God’s Word about healing builds your faith and trust in God.   

I tend to be more optimistic than pessimistic, but I believe it is important to speak truth about where a situation is so that you can receive what you really need. Going around saying everything is ok when it is not only isolates you from receiving help. Although if you lean toward the negative that too can be a problem. It affects your outlook on situations. If I am hurting, I tell God and ask for healing and grace and if I need prayer, I text or call a friend. 

I know that we can speak His word over situations, ourselves, and loved ones. He watches over His word to perform it the Bible says. But I personally seek His way and His mind for a situation. And I base it on what The Holy Spirit is leading me when I am praying for others or myself. It is important to line up your prayers and petitions according to the Word of God.

This is the way to place your trust in God and not in positivity. Are You Quieted by His Love? Rest = Faith

Subscribe Contact Dr. Annette

Today is a new day!

A New Day

Every day is a completely new day. The bible says, “Today is the day the Lord has made I will rejoice and be glad in it.” Each day is a new day although each day may not have pleasant things happening. We affect our day through our hearts and minds. No matter what happens our thoughts and attitudes towards events will affect our day.

But even at the worst of days we can go through the time with and by the Grace of God. You will be able to make it through whatever you are facing once you face it with and in the Grace of God.

Whether it’s a loss, disappointments, breakup or health problems etc. your day can be faced, expressed and walked through with help. God provides The Grace to go through along with you. Jesus said I will be with you always.

You can say today is the day the Lord has made. It’s a new day only you determine your outlook on your day. I choose to look to the Lord Jesus and His Grace every day. He’s the reason I’m alive today!

Let your day begin with a good morning Lord and finish with a thank you God for this day. Your outlook has a great deal to do with how you live and react to events and others. When there is pain or trauma, we must let it out by giving it a voice, but then we need to get healed from it. So that your days will not be driven by the past but are focused on your future.

God wants to heal the hurts of the past because He has a hope and future for you. What exactly is your hope in?

Amazon.com: The Father’s Daughters: Affirmation, Acceptance and Affection (9798705629275): Melton, Dr. Annette: Books

What exactly is your hope in?

Recently I had read Proverbs 13:12 “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life.” This made me think about hope and how it affects us. How do you respond when something you desire does not happen? What type of mood does it produce in you? These are a few questions we will look at.

“Hope 1) a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. (expectation desires)” “2) means want something o happen or be the case. (expect, anticipate)”

It is obvious that hope deals with expectations and desires. But what is the root the foundation of our hope is it in something or someone? If you place your hope in people or things you are setting yourself up for disappointments but if you are placing your hope in God, you will have a solid rock to rely on.

We all have expectations and desires for certain outcomes in life. And that is a good thing but if the desire or expectation has not been met how do you handle the disappointment? Here are few different ways people handle disappointment.

Some people handle the disappointment with bitterness. They stew and brew over the situation and blame someone else. This is not productive. The bitterness eats away at the soul it is not healthy nor does it generate life.

Some individuals handle disappointment with self-pity. Self-pity makes the person feel bad about themselves. This also is an unhealthy way to deal with disappointment. Self-pity wants you to indulge in it and it will open the door to situational depression. This also does not produce life.

With both these outcomes it shows us that the hope was in something or someone instead of in God. The bible gives us many verses to place our hope in God. Placing your hope your desires and expectation in God and on his word is the solid foundation.

1 Peter 1:13 “Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

A Biblical hope is’ confident expectation in God.’ What if it still does not happen the way you want? Then go to God for the answer. I have experienced times where I thought something would go a certain way I was expecting, and it did not. This is when we must reevaluate. Is this God’s will, plan and time?  Was I asking and expecting my will in the situation?

The perfect plan is God’s not ours. His desire is for you when you are his child but understanding where your hope rests is important to overcoming in disappointment. Place your trust and hope in God. Be filled with his word put your expectations in God and you will be at peace.

Disappointment do’s and don’ts