Photo By Rachael Breece, Ireland 2025
Verse To Abide In
““and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
Romans 5:5 ESV
From The Heart
I have a number of friends I’m praying for a lot over the holidays. This season is filled with so many expectations, so many memories, and so many triggers of brokenness or stress that can bring depression and/or anxiety.
This verse has come up three different times within 12 hours for me—in a couple different studies and a project I am working on—so I thought I had better pay attention. This blog is flowing from my meditations on it. If you would, I would love to pray through this passage, and the verses before it, with you for those who are especially suffering in this season.
Let's Pray
Abba,
May we shout our praise even when we, and/or those we love, are hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us (yes, may it be so—build this endurance in us), and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue (yes, forge this strength of character in us, O God), keeping us alert for whatever you will do next (yes—alert with confident hope!). In such alert expectancy, we’re never left feeling shortchanged (help us to remember this, to believe this truth of our hope in you wholeheartedly). Quite the contrary—we can’t round up enough containers to hold all that you generously pour into our lives through the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:3–5 NLT and MSG)! Thank you. We praise you. We worship you.
Help us remember your agape-love that has been poured into us through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us and through whom we now pray. Help us to keep trusting in you, Jesus. In your name we pray. You are our trust. You are our hope and confidence (Jeremiah 17:7 ESV, NLT). Amen.