“Do not be afraid…I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God…your Savior.” Isaiah 43:1-3

 

What do you wish for? Better relationships, fewer problems, and a happier life?

 

Alexander is a Ukrainian pastor living on the frontlines of war. When asked what he tells his neighbors who are angry about all they have lost, he says they wish the war would end, wish they could rebuild their homes, and be reunited with lost loved ones.

 

Pastor Alexander says, “I don’t have all the answers for these situations, but I know that God has the whole picture of what is happening here, why it is happening, what will be in the future for us and our country. And we have to obey Him; we have to trust Him and worship Him. God is our comfort. He is faithful. His promises are very good. He is with us, so we praise Him!”

 

The hope that God calls us to isn’t just wishful thinking. He gives us real promises that cannot be broken, promises so big that they apply, not just to our today or tomorrow, but will be applied to our forever. God says, “Do not be afraid…I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God…your Savior” (Isaiah 43:1-3).

 

Hope lives inside us when we focus on and thank God for His promises. Wishful thinking can turn to bitter disappointment and despair, but hope built on who God is and His forever promises only grows stronger in difficult times.