My friend, things are kidda’ crazy these days, aren’t they. it’s normal to be looking for encouragement and hope in times like we’re experiencing. We’re naturally driven to look for ways to refuel our weary spirits. But we’re finding the usual picture posts of mottos, cliches, and even scriptures, might give us a quick fix that dulls our craving need for a while, but we’re soon back looking for more, aren’t we.
That’s because we’re looking for long-lasting real hope. The kind that can carry us through confusing, super-troubling things and times.
I know the feeling that drives the searching for I’ve been there.
But because of it, I have recently come to realize we were designed to be connected to God, who is the source of all the true, solid good we’re looking for and can experience… like hope. For He is THE God, of all that is good and righteous. But that connection was broken. But thankfully God loved us too much to leave us separated from Him, and made a way to us to personally develop a connection to Him through Jesus’ death and resurrection. Just think of the Almighty God loving us that much, that Jesus was willing to die a horrific death that we might live with Him, and experience the unbelievable love and guidance of His Father’s heart!
The key to connecting to Him—and staying connected so we can continue to receive what we need from Him—is found in this principle that was preserved for us in the Bible: “Seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness (which means get focused and connected to Him as our source) and all these things (that we need and seek) will be added to you.”
Seeking God and His righteousness is what connects us to Him so His Spirit of all that is good can be within us too! The Bible calls it, “the Fruit of the Spirit”, which we can experience in our hearts and lives—giving us long-lasting encouragement and HOPE throughout life, no matter what comes our way! You will find the types of precious fruit we can experience listed below.
Just think… when we seek HIM, the God of all that is good, and not HOPE, we will victoriously have both—and more!
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:33)