“We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3-4).
If I was delivered once, I can be delivered again.
Hope is one of the strongest forces in the universe. Without it, it’s hard to continue to live.
Consider this illustration. An experiment was once done on rats. They were placed in a vat of water. For hours they swam furiously. Finally, they started to give up, resigning themselves to the fate of death.
At the last moment, they were rescued. Dried. Fed. Allowed to rest for several days. Then they were placed back into the vat of water.
What was different the second time? Instead of swimming for only a few hours before giving up, they swam for 24 hours straight before resigning themselves to drowning. Why the difference in hours?
They believed that since they had been saved once before, they could be saved again.
Think of a time God has come through for you. Firmly fix it in your memory. Think about it for several minutes. Don’t you feel hope arise in your heart?
You simply know that if God did it once, he can do it again!
Persevere. Don’t give up. Hope does not disappoint.