“… He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 1:6
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An athlete may use a phrase like “I’m good to go” or “I feel fresh” to indicate he or she is ready for an upcoming game or competition. However, this does not just randomly happen. Instead, there is a process of physical recovery, mental preparation and performance timing that must take place. Athletes who ultimately experience success are committed to trusting the process.
The same is true for the Christian. There is a process for hoping in God that results in a strengthened walk with Christ. So what does a process of hoping in God look like?
1) Admit your weaknesses — Three times in Isaiah 40:25-31 it speaks of those who are “weary.” We are told that all of us get exhausted. We all get spiritually drained and need to be picked up. We engage hope when we can acknowledge our discouragement.
2) Acknowledge God’s constant care — We all are prone to think God has forgotten about us and does not care about our various situations (v. 27). This mentality leads to despair and lack of hope. Isaiah reminds us of God’s care for His creation, especially us as part of His creation.
3) Aspire to a stronger walk with Christ — The passage speaks of increased strength and soaring like eagles for a follower of God. Part of the process that brings hope in a Christian’s life is the belief that God will continue to work in that person’s life: “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6).
— Jeff Totten, Detroit Tigers chaplain
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