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Learning to Pray with Hope
If you base your hope in the material world, you are bound to be disappointed. Abraham is the father of our faith. It took over two decades for God’s promises to Abraham to be fulfilled. When you have a promise that takes a long time to be fulfilled, it can cause you to be discouraged. Hope is an anchor for our souls.
1. Read Romans 5:1–5. How does God overcome disappointment?
2. Read Romans 8:1. What is the difference between condemnation and conviction?
3. Read Romans 8:2–4. What do you learn from this passage of Scripture?
4. Read Romans 8:5–9. What is God saying to you in these verses?
5. Read Romans 8:10–11. What is significant in these two verses?
6. Read Romans 8:12–17. What two things do you share with Christ?
7. Read Romans 8:18–25. What is all of creation waiting for?
8. Read Romans 8:26–27. How does the Holy Spirit help us?
9. Read Romans 8:28. Write down this verse and memorize it. What two things are required for the promise of Romans 8:28 to be fulfilled?
10. Read Romans 8:29–30. What did God do for you?
11. Read Romans 8:31–39 in several different translations. What can separate you from God’s love? How is God speaking to you through these verses?
12. Read Romans 12:12. What do you learn about prayer in this passage?
13. Read Romans 15:13. Who is the source of our hope?
14. Read 1 Corinthians 13:4–7. What do you learn here about hope?
15. Read Ephesians 1:18. What is the hope God gives to those He has called?
16. Read Hebrews 10:23. What do you hold tightly?
17. Read Hebrews 11:1. How do faith and hope relate?
Overcoming Emotional Pain and Loss
When you experience a painful loss, you may go through stages of grief. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross introduced five stages of grief1 that many experience. Stage 1 is denial: You feel like this can’t be happening. Stage 2 is anger: You realize your powerlessness to change the situation and sometimes look for someone to blame. Stage 3 is bargaining: You try to see if there is anything you can do to change the situation. Stage 4 is depression: Your emotions are turned inward and you feel like giving up. Stage 5 is acceptance: You know you can’t change what has happened, but you begin to move forward with the next phase of your life. You may not experience grief in the order of these stages, but it will take time to go through the process of healing in your life.
18. Read Job 1:1–22. What do you learn from this passage about how to face trauma? Focus on Job’s initial response to his loss in Job 1:20–22. What do you learn in these verses?
19. If you are in the middle of a painful situation right now, consider reading through the entire book of Job in one sitting. Notice how little his friends are able to help Job deal with his pain and loss. Read Job 38. What do you learn from Job’s encounter with God? Read Job 42:7–16. How does Job’s story conclude?
20. Take out your journal or download pages from www.SueDetweiler.com and begin writing about one of the most difficult life experiences you have faced. After you have written out your story, listen to what God may be saying to you. Skip a line and write down His words and Scriptures that come to your mind as you listen for His voice.
Praying with Boldness, Confidence, and Grace
Our confidence goes beyond what we experience here on earth. Our hope is anchored in an eternal reality. Jesus is God in human flesh. He understands the depth of your pain, loss, rejection, and betrayal. He went through all of what we go through in life—every human emotion that you can or will experience—and yet He did not sin.
We are able to pray with boldness, confidence, and grace when we encounter Jesus and receive the hope that He brings.
21. Read Matthew 26:39. How did Jesus pray when He faced the cross? How does this impact your prayers when you face something difficult?
22. Read Hebrews 6:18–19. How does hope anchor your soul?
23. Read 1 Corinthians 15. How does the power of the Resurrection give you hope?
Replacing Pain and Loss with Hope
Pain and loss look to the past.
Trauma marks us.
We can’t escape pain and loss in this life.
Extending God’s Grace
In order to fulfill God’s call on your life, there is a spiritual struggle you go through in prayer. Through overcoming our hardships, we can reach out to others and offer hope.
For Group Discussion
Bonus Video: I share a time when I overcame loss with hope. Watch this bonus video at www.SueDetweiler.com.
24. When was the last time you lost hope? Were you praying? Or avoiding God and spending time in your loss rather than in prayer and praise?