and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us. and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Ghost which was given unto us. We're not ashamed to have this confidence, because God's love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. Help me to abound in joy and to rest in your loving arms. Give me strength to lean on your powerful promises today. Amen.

So then, dear brothers and sisters, be firm. Do not be moved! Always be outstanding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.and hope doesn’t disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. How can Christians hope when we experience disappointments? We put our hope in the Lord as we look at Paul’s example in Philippians 4:4. Here, Paul was suffering greatly but he was writing to the church in Philippi which happened to be a church that was exceptionally poor. But Paul was writing to them to encourage them to keep hoping as they learn to be content with having much or little. Paul wrote to encourage them through his example walking with Christ, that even in the midst of disappointment, he could deal with humble means or prosperity. No matter the circumstance Paul persevered through hope because he “can do all things through Christ, ( Philippians 4:13, ESV).

and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless and powerless [mere delusion]; you are still in your sins [and under the control and penalty of sin]. Hope. It’s the oxygen our souls need to thrive. Hope is the wild-eyed creature that pops up after the enemy tries to eradicate the very beating of faith in our hearts. It’s the essence of being a Christ-follower and as a hopeless, broken world watches us, they question, “If hope does not disappoint us, why are Christians disappointed all the time?” Before we can answer that question, we need to define what hope is. Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. and if Christ has not been raised from death, then we have nothing to preach and you have nothing to believe. So then, my dear friends, stand firm and steady. Keep busy always in your work for the Lord, since you know that nothing you do in the Lord's service is ever useless.The same One who strengthened Paul and provided contentment, courage, and hope is the same One working all things together—even disappointment—for our good ( Romans 8:28). Because of Jesus’ power at work in us, we can breathe in His kind of Hope that does not disappoint. Prayer for a Hope That Does Not Disappoint