Hope is all around us
December 2, 2025 | Matt Doublestein
About the author: Matt Doublestein and his wife, Libby, have been attending ZPC with their family since 2021. They both work in local school districts, Matt in Zionsville and Libby in Sheridan, and are thankful for the Lord's grace and patience in the adventure that is raising their children Caleb (13), Elsa (11), and Talia (5).
Romans 5:3-4 - “…not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope...."
All too often, I find myself discouraged, worried, or lacking hope. It may be reading something from the news or hearing of something new to be afraid of coming in the future. It may be a notification on my phone of another sadness in the world or even in our local community. It may simply be the difficulties of trying to raise children in the 21st century. Something is there to create worry and to steal away hope.
As we turn our attention from Thanksgiving to the Christmas season and think about the hope that comes in Christ’s Advent, I also remain thankful for those around me who inspire hope. As an educator, I find daily opportunities to see hope in the children of our community. Sometimes, it’s a 2nd grader who has a breakthrough in her journey as a reader. She is growing and can still change the world – hope! Sometimes it’s a junior who sees a problem in the world and finds a way to help address that problem even while a student – hope! At ZPC it is the young adults and the Chili Cook-Off as they bring us all together to enjoy food and fellowship – hope! Or maybe it is the 6th grader who is picking up a microphone for the first time to lead us in worship on a Sunday – hope! I am so thankful for our children and for the families who raise them to inspire hope in this world. They will be greater than we are. They will navigate new challenges and figure out better solutions than we did. They give hope!
These words from Paul remind us that those moments of true hope – true inspiration that it is worth hanging on for the next moment, the next day, the next season – this hope comes through trial. Sometimes that 2nd grader fights with her sibling. Sometimes the junior stays up too late and struggles to complete a major assignment. In these moments, the Lord is working character in us through endurance and suffering. Paul reminds us to look for the hopeful end in mind of these circumstances. Though it is hard, we can be thankful in trials because the Lord will use those trials to build hope within us.
What is the Lord doing in your life this season to point toward hope? Are there sufferings? Are you being called to endure? Rest assured that he is using these circumstances to build character and inspire hope. We can look to the coming of the Christ child – the Hope of the World – as the great reminder of the Lord’s provision of hope in His Son. Jesus suffered and endured the cross and by his character as the Son of God is our great hope for the world and for salvation.
Prayer
Lord,
We pray that you would honor these words that you gave Paul. Grant us endurance through suffering to build character toward hope. Thank you for the gift of your Son – our great Hope, and The Hope of the whole world.
Amen.