The Hard Work of Hope

God's promises are not without condition.  Every one of them is hinged on two things:  God's Word and our obedience.

If we fail to go to the Bible in the midst of our pain and suffering, we rob ourselves of the one Book that will offer us real peace, real answers and real solutions.

In God's Word we find examples of others who suffered just as we do, and we see how they believed God and obeyed Him.  As their stories unfold we see God's hand at work in their lives.

It is sometimes (most of the time) difficult for us to see God's hand at work in our lives.  It's that whole "can't see the forest for the trees" scenario.  As we stand in the middle of our storm, we cannot get the bird's eye view that other's have.

So we go to the stories from the Word, and find comfort in how God worked in the lives of His children, knowing that He has not changed and can still work the miracles and promises in our lives, as He did in theirs.

The writer of Hebrews mentions this principle of learning from others:

Hebrews 6:11 And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
12 That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

Did you notice that it says "that ye be not slothful"?

If we really want God's answers to our problems, we cannot sit in the corner sucking our thumb, waiting for our answer to come floating down from Heaven on a gossamer thread.

We must read the Word, study the Word, hear It preached, and apply Its principles to our lives.  We must obey God's commands, submit our hearts to His way, and change our way of thinking to line up with His.

It really isn't for the "slothful", is it? 

A lazy woman will not do the work necessary to find the answers that she needs.

Why are you not reading the Bible for yourself?

We cannot use the excuse that it just doesn't make sense, or that we can never glean things for ourselves from Its pages.  That is the excuse of a lazy person.

We have the same Holy Spirit residing in us as the greatest preacher we have ever heard expound the Scriptures.

Do we want God's answers for our lives?

We must Read His Word!