Sometimes disappointment doesn’t cause us to stop believing in God. It simply causes us to stop expecting anything. We can still pray, read our Bible, go to church, and say that we believe, while somewhere along the way we quietly lowered our expectations because hoping again felt too risky. If that describes any part of your heart, we want to pray with you. This prayer is about allowing hope to rise again, not because circumstances suddenly look better, but because our hope has never been rooted in circumstances. Our hope is in God and what He has spoken. Before you begin THIS PRAYER, think about the area where disappointment has affected your expectation the most. Don’t try to manufacture hope or talk yourself into feeling differently. Simply bring that area before the Lord and pray with us. Then receive Psalm 42:5 personally: “I will put my hope in God!” You don’t have to protect yourself from disappointment by living without expectation. Let the Word of God become bigger in your heart than what you have experienced.

Most of us have heard someone say, “Don’t get your hopes up.” Usually, they’re trying to protect us from disappointment. But biblical hope was never meant to be built on circumstances working out the way we want. Real hope is built on what God has said. That changes everything. In this teaching, we look at the relationship between love, hope, and faith. Hope is the joyful anticipation of good. It allows us to see beyond what is happening right now and anchor our expectation in the promises of God. Hebrews 11:1 tells us that faith then gives substance to what we hope for. So instead of lowering your expectations because of what you see, spend some time after THIS TEACHING finding a promise from God’s Word that speaks directly to something you’re believing for. Write it somewhere you’ll see it this week or drop it in the comments. Every time your circumstances try to tell you a different story, go back to what God said. Get your hopes up, but make sure they’re anchored in the right place.

We love the moment when God touches us and everything changes. But what happens the next morning when circumstances begin challenging what we received? Sometimes the breakthrough is instantaneous, but learning to walk in it is a process. In THIS WEEK‘S DEVOTIONAL, Julie shares her personal testimony of learning to walk again after brain surgery and how that experience taught her to stand on God's Word, take thoughts captive, and keep moving forward in faith. A difficult day doesn't erase what God has done. You don't have to accept every thought that comes against your breakthrough. You received the breakthrough. Now learn to walk in it. Read this week's devotional and be encouraged to keep standing on what God has said. Let's talk about it: What has helped you continue standing in faith when your circumstances seem to contradict God's promises?

Of all the churches Jesus addressed in Revelation, Smyrna stands out for an important reason: He did not rebuke them. Their circumstances certainly weren’t easy. They were experiencing poverty, persecution, and tremendous pressure because of their faith, yet Jesus’ message to them wasn’t centered on making their lives more comfortable. He encouraged them to remain faithful. In this teaching, we look at Revelation 2:8-10 and what the church in Smyrna can teach us about a faith that doesn’t change when circumstances become difficult. It’s easy to measure God’s faithfulness by what is happening around us, but Smyrna challenges us to look at something deeper. Is our commitment to Jesus dependent upon our circumstances, or have we settled in our hearts that we will remain faithful no matter what? As you go through THIS TEACHING, consider where your own faithfulness is being tested right now. What would it look like to remain faithful to Jesus in that area, even if the circumstances don’t immediately change?

When we want to understand the love of God, we can look at Jesus. His coming to earth was love revealed. Everywhere Jesus went, people encountered the heart of the Father. The sick were healed, the broken were restored, the weak received strength, and impossible situations changed because Jesus was there. That same Jesus is victorious today. As you listen to Glory’s “YOU REIGN VICTORIOUS,” take some time to think about what Jesus has personally revealed to you about the love of God. Maybe you’ve experienced His healing, provision, strength, forgiveness, or simply His presence during a time when you desperately needed Him. What has Jesus shown you about the Father’s love through something He has done in your life?