Did you know that there are three things in life that no one can take away from you? Yes, many things in this world shift and alter, but there are three things that God has given to us which are constant. Paul wrote the church in Corinth, “13But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13).
There is a story in the Bible about a man named Job. He was a successful man and loved God. He ended up losing his finances, children, and health. Yet the Devil was not after any of these things. The enemy was after his faith. You see, our faith is something that no one can take away from us. When we go through a hardship or loss, we may lose something dear to us, but we cannot lose our faith.
Mark 10:15 tells us, “”Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all.” (Mark 10:15). How does a little child receive something? They receive it by grace.
When a child is walking close to the pool, they can become afraid and not sure if they want to jump in. Yet when that child sees his father with his arms stretched out saying, “Jump and I’ll catch you!” The child will trust in the father’s love and jump right in! We to must have our faith in God’s love. When you know that God loves you, trusting Him becomes second nature.
Hope is a confident expectation of good. Many times we place our hope in the wrong areas of life. We have to remember that we live in a fallen world with fallen people. If you place your hope in a person, place, or thing you may be disappointed. Place your hope in Jesus, the one who has perfect love for you.
Hebrews 6:19 tells us, “19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil.” When we get a bad medical report, we can lose hope and become sad, instead remind yourself of your anchor. Remind yourself that, “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28). Your emotions are pulling you towards bitterness and resentment, let God put hope back in your soul. I may not see a way, but I know God will provide a way. Stay connected to hope. Don’t drift towards depression, negativity, and fear. Do you have your anchor down? Do you have an expectation in God or in someone else?
Three things we have constantly with us is our faith, hope and love. The greatest of these three is love. Think about this, “God is love.” (1 John 4:8). What causes someone to live a moral and upright life? It is the love of God. Remind yourself that God loves you! Personalize the love of God for your life. Sometimes I like to stand in the mirror and tell myself, “God loves Caleb.” It may seem strange to some, but I believe in personalizing the love of God. Why? Because no one can ever take my faith, hope, and love. Why is love the greatest? Because God’s love is the foundation for our faith and hope.