Waiting for Hope
by Sheri Reaves
Psalms 62:5-6
“My soul, wait in silence for God alone, for my hope is from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my refuge; I will not be shaken.”
Colossians 1:27 TPT
“Living within you is the Christ who floods you with the expectation of glory! This mystery of Christ, embedded within us, becomes a heavenly treasure chest of hope, filled with the riches of glory for his people, and God wants everyone to know it!”
“My soul, wait in silence for God alone, for my hope is from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my refuge; I will not be shaken.”
Colossians 1:27 TPT
“Living within you is the Christ who floods you with the expectation of glory! This mystery of Christ, embedded within us, becomes a heavenly treasure chest of hope, filled with the riches of glory for his people, and God wants everyone to know it!”
Hope. How desperately we need it today. Advent is a time to embrace hope, to shift our thinking and affirm that hope hasn’t disappeared. Many things that we relied on have indeed disappeared over the past several months. But our hope springs from something more solid and more substantial than what our five senses can perceive. It’s a mystery, but Christ in us is more real than any treasure chest. And He is the source of our hope.
Sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste. Our five senses are so necessary for this physical body. But why do we think we should sense God through these? As Elijah discovered, God was not in the earthquake, or the wind, or the fire. He described it as a still small voice, or a gentle whisper, perhaps his way of articulating what he heard via his inner senses. Elijah had to wait through some terrifying upheaval. But in the quiet, in the stillness, God spoke, not via his five senses, but directly to his heart.
"My soul, wait in silence for God alone, for my hope is from Him". Sometimes we must wait to hear from God and renew hope. Quieting our soul and waiting helps connect us directly with the Source of hope. Have you noticed getting quiet takes intention? Getting away from things that demand the attention of our five senses helps. For example, a calm, quiet space. A commitment to just be with God (rather than giving Him our list) also helps. This advent season is a perfect time for making ourselves available, quieting our souls and giving Hope a chance to fill our hearts again.
Sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste. Our five senses are so necessary for this physical body. But why do we think we should sense God through these? As Elijah discovered, God was not in the earthquake, or the wind, or the fire. He described it as a still small voice, or a gentle whisper, perhaps his way of articulating what he heard via his inner senses. Elijah had to wait through some terrifying upheaval. But in the quiet, in the stillness, God spoke, not via his five senses, but directly to his heart.
"My soul, wait in silence for God alone, for my hope is from Him". Sometimes we must wait to hear from God and renew hope. Quieting our soul and waiting helps connect us directly with the Source of hope. Have you noticed getting quiet takes intention? Getting away from things that demand the attention of our five senses helps. For example, a calm, quiet space. A commitment to just be with God (rather than giving Him our list) also helps. This advent season is a perfect time for making ourselves available, quieting our souls and giving Hope a chance to fill our hearts again.
Questions:
- What’s the biggest hindrance to quieting your soul?
- When was the last time you sensed His still small voice?
Action:
Try using your imagination to sit in God's presence for five minutes today. Does that sound impossible? Then try it for two. Will your mind wander off? Yes, because that’s what minds do. Just gently bring your attention back to God and His presence. In this case, practice creates desire and you may find yourself craving these quieting moments with Him as you anticipate Christmas.