Hope, Patience, and Prayer

Romans 12:12 Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times.

 Let your hope keep you joyful,
 For all things come from Him;
 He knows all your needs
 So, don't let despair win!
 
 Be patient in your troubles,
 Fretting does not pay;
 For He has the answer,
 Wait! He'll show the way.
 
 Finally, pray at all times,
 It will give you inward peace.
 Talk to God, then listen;
 His love will never cease! 

Romans 12:12 is one of my favorite verses. To me it’s the perfect road map for life. Being hopeful, patient, and prayerful is the best way to get through any day! It’s not always easy to be consistent in these things, but it’s certainly attainable.

Let your hope keep you joyful. The Living Bible translation says “Be glad for all God is planning for you.” Hope is the feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. God has a perfect plan for us, so we can be joyful in hope of what’s to come. Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” This is a promise from God, so we can rejoice in hope for what He has planned for us. As the saying goes, we may not know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future! Since we know God is in control, we can remain hopeful. This in turn, gladdens our hearts.

Be patient in your troubles. When I was very young, my mother would tell me to be patient. As a toddler, I would repeat that by saying, “I be patient.” Despite it being grammatically incorrect, it became a family saying and has stuck with me my whole life. I’ve learned that practicing patience is much better on the body than worry and anger. Life is full of stressful situations, but we can manage them with the knowledge that it won’t last forever. Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me and heard my cry. We know God hears our prayers, we just need to wait it out for His answer. How we wait it out is the key. Little stressors like red lights can be flipped to something positive. I send out a prayer for a loved one while waiting for the light to turn green. If I’m waiting in a very long line, I’ll start singing praise songs in my head or strike up a conversation with the person next to me. Bigger stressors obviously take longer to pass, but I combat them with journaling, prayer, scripture, and talking to friends and family. It’s not always easy to be patient, but it’s always rewarding!

Pray at all times. My students would often ask how we could possibly pray all the time. I would explain that prayer is just a conversation with God. Philippians 4:6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything; tell God your needs, and don’t forget to thank Him for His answers. So, if you’re happy about something, thank God for it! If you’re concerned about something, tell it to God. If you have a decision to make, ask God for guidance. The Amplified Bible translates the last part of Romans 12:12 as “devoted in prayer (continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength).” I’m always in need of wisdom, guidance, and strength, so for me it’s not a stretch to be praying at all times!

So, my friends, be hopeful, patient, and prayerful today, and feel God’s blessings flow!

Lord, thank you for this verse that shows me how to manage the ups and downs of life. Teach me to be hopeful when things look hopeless. Guide me in being patient in my troubles. Help me to remember to take everything to You in prayer. Amen