Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:5)

We have hope because of the love of God, and that love doesn’t encourage us from a distance. It is personally poured into us by God. Basically, we really have no excuse for dwelling in and with God’s love, and we have no reason to claim a hope that doesn’t disappoint.

Let’s look at the verses leading into this one.

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope. (Romans 5:1-4)

When we have problems and trials, we can develop endurance. (We can also sit and mope and whine and become self-focused.) Endurance develops character. Character develops our hope in salvation. And yet…isn’t it our hope in salvation, our relationship with Jesus, our acceptance and understanding of God’s character, that helps us deal with our problems and trials in the first place?

We often stop where we are because we’re waiting on something. We think we need more faith or we need more strength or we need more courage. We may even ask God for it. And then we wait and wait and wait….when we already have what we need! If you have a relationship with Jesus, you have His strength and courage. You may not always feel like you have it, but it’s there. We may feel completely drained and insufficient and incapable, but it’s not because we actually are. It’s often because we’re not standing on the promise of Romans 1:5.

The Holy Spirit gives us everything we need. The strength and courage we need is already in us, and not only is it in us, but the Holy Spirit fills us! You have access to God’s love, courage, strength, joy, discernment (and the list goes on…) inside you, accessible at all times. God pours into you.

During a particularly bad ice storm, I was checking my friends’ updates on Facebook when I noticed this photo taken by my friend Cathy.

It’s a beautiful photo, but it made me think: “I don’t think that clothespin is going to be able to do a good job of pinning anything for awhile.” While it was hanging around on the clothesline, freezing rain and sleet encased it. Now it’s stuck.

We feel that way sometimes: unable to move, rendered useless or worthless. But we’re not. We’re not trapped. We have options. We might be too blind to see some of our options, and we might not like some of our options, but we’re not trapped. Because God gives us everything we need.

Accept.

Dear God, I’ve had enough of the feelings of inadequacy. I’m tired of self-reliance. I trust You, and I want to live as if I do. I don’t want a convenient faith, running to You and relying on You only when I’m desperate. I want to know You so intimately that I trust and rely on You for absolutely everything. I want to abide in Your presence. I want Your boldness and Your peace, and I want to be a beacon of Your love to those around me. Thank You for the Holy Spirit. Move within me. I am Yours.

Seek.

When have you experienced the frozen or stuck feeling and how did you respond?

If you are made in God’s image (and you are), and you declare yourself as worthless or useless (which you’re not), what does that say about God?

How will you rely on the Holy Spirit to provide everything you need from within you as God’s provision today?

Know.

Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. (2 Corinthians 5:5)