Daily Hope

Flipping the calendar into the new year can be a time of hopeful expectation. I enjoy the fresh start and positive outlook that January brings. But a couple of weeks into January, and I already feel my hopeful energy waning.

Doubts and anxiety about the future have started to creep in. Maybe you carried difficult relationship issues or serious health problems into 2026. Not to mention the overall anxiety and turmoil in the world and in our own country. Hope can seem flimsy compared to the troubles around us.

So how can we approach our days with hope?

It depends on what, or who, we put our hope in.

Imagine with me that hope is an anchor, and we are on a boat in the middle of stormy seas, looking for solid ground to anchor in.

Will we throw the anchor to the muddy and unstable circumstances of life, to relationships with family and friends, or even try to hold onto the anchor ourselves, as our own source of hope? I’ve tried to throw the anchor in all of these areas at times.

But none of these are solid ground to anchor our hope. The prophet Jeremiah, who many scholars believe to be the author of the book of Lamentations, points us to the true source of hope. The majority of Lamentations is deep mourning over God’s judgement of the people’s sin, and the fall of Jerusalem. God’s people had turned away from Him and experienced heavy suffering. But when things seem hopeless for the people of God, Jeremiah makes a shift.

“But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:21-23, ESV

He “calls to mind” the steadfast love, mercy, and faithfulness of God (vs. 21-23).

 His hope is anchored in God, not in the circumstances, or in people, or in himself.

What encouragement for us today! Even if we are in a season of struggle and lament, we can place our hope in God’s character.

In fact, every morning is a new outpouring of His Mercy and Grace.

But we do have to “call it to mind “, or bring it back to our intentional thinking. What we think about matters!

Each day is a new opportunity for us to shift our thoughts to hope. Daily hope.

I believe God wants us to seek Him daily. To gather the hope and courage needed for the day ahead.

• God gave manna to the Israelites in the wilderness to collect daily.

“Morning by morning they gathered it, each as much as he could eat; but when the sun grew hot it melted.” (Exodus 16:21)

• Jesus taught his disciples to ask God for their daily needs.

“Give us each day our daily bread.” (Luke 11:3)

• Jesus tells us to take up our cross and follow Him daily.

And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23)

Friend, every morning we have a choice to make. How will we align our heart and our thoughts, and where will we anchor our hope?

What if each morning we thanked God for the day ahead, and shifted our minds to focus on His character and promises. Each day, and even each hour, can be a fresh start. Even when we stumble or fall, or lose our focus.

His mercies are new every morning!

Want to try something new this year? Consider starting a prayer notebook or journal. Write down at least one prayer of thanks each morning, and a Bible verse that reminds you of God’s character and faithfulness. On hard days, you can go back and “call to mind” the steadfast love and mercy of God.

Father, you are full of steadfast love and mercy. We can always count on you to be faithful, even when our feelings and circumstances are like shifting sand. Help us to put our anchor of hope in You. Amen