May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace.
Paul's benediction — and the secret formula of trust, joy, peace, and overflowing hope.
The episode in a glance.
- 01Paul calls God 'the God of hope' — hope is in his very nature.
- 02Joy and peace come 'in believing' — they're fruit of trust, not effort.
- 03Hope 'abounds' by the power of the Spirit — it's not generated by willpower.
- 04It's a prayer first, not a formula — Paul asks God to do this for you.
Read along.
At the end of Romans 15, Paul prays: 'May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.'
Notice the order. He starts with God — 'the God of hope.' Hope isn't a mood you generate. It comes from a God who is, by nature, hopeful.
Then comes joy and peace. And the location is interesting: 'in believing.' Joy and peace are byproducts of trust. They don't show up first, demanding to be felt; they show up as you keep believing what's true about God.
Then the result: 'by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.' The Spirit does the abounding. You don't manufacture it; you receive it.
If you're running low on hope, don't try harder. Ask the God of hope to do what only he can do.