Confident Hope

Roger Lipe

Ready:

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” Romans 5:3-5

Set:

How does someone maintain a good attitude in the midst of difficult times? How does his or her character affect these situations? The character of a person, the true nature of his or her heart, is a continual source of either hope or despair.

Hope is a confident expectation of good, based on the promises of God. Hope comes from a changed character of someone who has persevered through suffering a difficult circumstance or event. Character teaches us to be confident and to have proper expectations for when the next bad thing happens. 

As coaches and athletes, we are expected to attribute good characteristics of hope and confidence through every loss, defeat, or physical setback. Paul says that character produces hope and that hope doesn't fail because God has put an everyday reminder of His love in our hearts. The Spirit of God is alive in us to remind us of His love and promises. That's what real hope looks like.

As you may be affected by tragic or difficult events in the world today, God calls us to have hope in Him and His love. Today, remember to let hope arise from your character and prepare you for a great day of competition.

Go:

1. How can you maintain a good attitude in the midst of difficult times? 

2. How does your character affect these situations?

3. What are some of God’s promises in Scripture that speak hope into your soul?

Workout:

• Psalm 71:5
• Psalm 119:114
• Psalm 130:7

Overtime:

“Father, we rejoice in our troubles. We sense Your presence in our trials. You are developing endurance in our souls. Endurance shapes our character into a God-honoring shape. Character is producing an unquenchable hope in our spirits. You have put Your Spirit in our hearts, and we are free. We pray in the loving and mighty name of Jesus, Amen.”