Editor's note: Enjoy today's devotion from 100 Days to Be Still and Know by Cleere Cherry Reaves.
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“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” — Jeremiah 29:11 NIV
Why does the word hope seem to echo louder when tragedy strikes or life suddenly falls apart? It’s often in the valley that we cling to it most—when pain is real and answers are few. But hope was never meant to be reserved only for the hard days.
God invites us to carry hope in every moment—not just in the trenches, but on the mountaintops and through the ordinary streets of everyday life.
Hope is more than a survival language. It’s a posture of praise. A way of walking when the road ahead is unknown.
A hopeful heart doesn’t ignore reality—it sees it clearly and still believes God is working. It paints the canvas of life with expectancy, trusting that the God who spoke the universe into being still speaks life into us today.
And here’s the beauty: Hope doesn’t deplete with use—it deepens. Like creativity, the more we lean into it, the more it flows.
We don’t draw from a shallow well. We draw from the living Word.
And His river of hope? It never runs dry. So speak hope in every season.
Not just when you’re desperate—but because He’s always worthy.
Have you ever found yourself trying to store up hope during the good times, just in case things go wrong later? Maybe you’ve been through a season when one hardship followed another, and now—even when life feels good—you’re bracing for the next setback. What might it look like to live fully in today’s hope, without fear of what’s ahead, trusting that God has enough hope for both now and whatever comes next?
Dear God, thank You for giving me this wonderful life! Help me not to hoard my hope, but rather use it now, trusting You to replenish it. In Jesus’s name, amen.
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He Knows Life Is a Lot
Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from Him. — Psalm 62:1 NIV
“Unclench your jaw. Take your tongue off the roof of your mouth. Relax your hands.” The instructor’s words caught me off guard.
Wait... was I doing all of that? Turns out—I was. And I didn’t even know it.
It’s surprising how often our bodies carry tension we never meant to hold. But isn’t that true of our lives too? We live clenched. Braced. On guard. Not because we consciously choose it, but because the rhythm of our culture rewards constant motion and quiet pressure. We hold tight—physically and emotionally—without even realizing it. But that kind of tension takes a toll. It dulls our awareness. It wears on our joy. It keeps our souls in a subtle state of defense.
And yet, the invitation of Jesus is not to sprint harder. It’s to rest. To breathe. To remember that nothing in your hands is worth more than the hope in your heart. So maybe today, you pause.
Unclench your jaw. Let your shoulders drop. Open your hands—both physically and spiritually—and just be.
Be with the One who isn’t asking you to prove anything but instead is simply inviting you to be present.
Write a note to tell yourself to relax your jaw and unclench your hands.
Dear Jesus, thank You for Your peace. Help me to be thankful for the blessings and the burdens I have, trusting that You are my Help and Provider. I am not crazy; I am human, and You love me more than anything. In Jesus’s name, amen.
Excerpted with permission from 100 Days to Be Still and Know by Cleere Cherry Reaves, copyright Cleere Cherry Reaves.
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Your Turn
Relax your body. Just be with Jesus right now. His river of hope never runs dry! ~ Devotionals Daily