January 07, Hopeful and Optimistic

 

Today’s reading: Psalms 31-35

“The Lord foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generation”
- Psalm 33:10-11.

It is easy to listen to media reports and become pessimistic about the state of the world and its future. Someone once said, however, that God is playing chess with the nations, for He matches their every move! The enemies of God may win some short-term battles, but God has already won the war, and the final victory will be declared for all the world to behold at the Second Coming of Jesus. Therefore, you can be hopeful and optimistic, not based on what you see but according to the faith you have in the truth found in today’s passage. God’s purposes will stand regardless of what victories the nations along with their philosophies and false religions seem to win. When Elijah was depressed about the state of the world, he said to the Lord, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too” (1 Kings 19:14). The Lord responded, “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him” (1 Kings 19:18). Ask God to give you His perspective today, like He did to Elijah, so you can put your faith not in what you see but in what God sees!