7 Days of Hope-Filled Promises

Day 1

Promise
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a
future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV)

Questions for Thought

1. How does it make you feel knowing that God has plans for you?
2. Do you ever approach life with the false notion that God’s perception of you is based on your
performance? Or that He is just waiting for you to mess up so that He can punish you?
3. Is there someone in your life (a son, daughter, spouse, etc.) that you have good plans for, to give
them a future and a hope? What do those plans look like?

Take Action!
Make a short list of things that are guaranteed to be in your future based on the promises of Scripture.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Prayer
Lord, just knowing that You care enough about me to even give me a passing thought—much less plans
for my welfare—is enough to spark hope in my heart. Thank You for Your great love for me. Help me to
seek Your will and walk in Your plans each day. Help me to imitate You by seeking out the welfare of
those around me, that I might instill in others the same hope that You give to me. Help me not to listen
to the lies of the enemy which tell me that You are waiting for me to screw up, or that Your love is
conditional. May I trust wholeheartedly in Your plans for my future, even though I cannot see what’s
ahead. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Day 2

Promise
But they who wait for the Lord
shall renew their strength;
they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 (ESV)

page 2
 7 Days of Hope-Filled Promises

Questions for Thought

1. Does waiting come easy for you? What feelings come to mind when you think about having to wait?
2. Have you felt weak, weary, and faint lately? What things do you think are contributing to your
weariness?
3. Can you imagine flying like an eagle, running without getting tired, or walking without feeling faint?
What emotions do these pictures evoke in you? What destination are you running, walking, or flying
toward?

Take Action!
What would you attempt for God if you knew you would not fail and would not grow weary? Write
three ideas that come to mind.

1. __________________________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________________________

Prayer
Lord, I admit that I often do not like to wait, but I recognize that in the still and quiet times I can better
hear Your voice and find the strength I need to move forward. I am often weary, weak, and tired, but I
know that I can draw strength from You. It’s by Your power that I can accomplish the impossible. Your
promise that I can rise up on eagles’ wings fills me with hope and inspires me to do more for Your glory.
Help me to be still and wait on Your timing and Your will before attempting to walk, run, or fly. In Jesus’
name I pray. Amen.

page 3
 7 Days of Hope-Filled Promises

Day 3

Promise
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit
you may abound in hope. Romans 15:13 (ESV)

Questions for Thought

1. In what ways has the Lord earned the title “the God of hope”?
2. God is able to fill you with both joy and peace. Which do you think you are more deficient in at this
point in time?
3. Do you want to be known as someone who “abounds in hope”? Is there someone you know that can
be described that way? What is it like to be with them?

Take Action!
Use a thesaurus to look up some synonyms for “abound.” Write them below.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Prayer
God of hope, I ask that You would fill me with your joy and peace today. Help me to be someone who
abounds in hope because of the work the Holy Spirit is doing in my life. Thank You that the natural
outflow of hope is a deep-rooted joy and a peace that passes understanding. May those traits in me
catch the attention of those around me so that I can shine Your light in this dark world. In Jesus’ name I
pray. Amen.

page 4
 7 Days of Hope-Filled Promises

Day 4

Promise
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 (ESV)

Questions for Thought

1. When Jesus invites you to “come to Him,” what does that look like? How exactly does someone
“come to Jesus”?
2. How have you been laboring lately? What do you spend your time and strength doing?
3. Describe an image of rest. What does it look like? If you had a two-week vacation planned to do
nothing but rest, where would you go?

Take Action!
Picture the image of a man bent over and “heavy laden” with bundles and parcels and packages stacked
high on his shoulders. Write some of the labels you might see on those bundles (for example: stress,
addiction, or fear). In other words, what kinds of things cause people to grow weary and laden down?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Prayer
Lord, I am often heavy laden with many things. Thank You for Your offer to take them from me. Help me
to give them over to You each day in exchange for Your rest. Lord, all around me are people who are
bending beneath the weight of the cares and worries of this world. Open my eyes to see them as You
do, so that I can tell them about the satisfying rest that You give. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

page 5
 7 Days of Hope-Filled Promises

Day 5

Promise
You are my hiding place and my shield;
I hope in your word. Psalm 119:114 (ESV)

Questions for Thought

1. Do you ever just feel like hiding away for a time? What kinds of things do you need a hiding place
from?
2. A shield is a defensive instrument, which means there is an enemy who is on the offense and wants
to do damage in your life. What does the Bible have to say about your enemy, the devil?
3. Why would the psalmist say, “I hope in your word”? Why would God’s word be a source of hope?

Take Action!
What are three practical things you could do to improve your Scripture memorization, so that you are
always carrying the words of hope with you wherever you go?

1. __________________________________________________________________________

2. __________________________________________________________________________

3. __________________________________________________________________________

Prayer
Lord, hide me away from the evil influences of this world, and protect me from the fiery darts of the
devil. You are my hiding place and my shield. May I always run straight to You for protection and
defense. Your words bring hope, and I resolve to memorize more of the Scriptures so that I can not only
rest in the hope that You give, but share it with those around me who are in desperate need. In Jesus’
name I pray. Amen.

page 6
 7 Days of Hope-Filled Promises

Day 6

Promise
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and
endurance produces character, and character produces hope. And hope does not put us to shame,
because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to
us. Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)

Questions for Thought

1. Is it easy to build muscles? What is needed in order for your muscles to get bigger? How is that
physical example similar to what the apostle Paul is saying in this verse?
2. What does “rejoicing in our sufferings” look like? Is it plastering on a fake smile and pretending
everything is fine?
3. Can you think of a past experience where your suffering produced endurance, character, and hope?

Take Action!
In your own words, define the words from this passage.

Endurance:___________________________________________________________________

Character: ___________________________________________________________________

Hope: _______________________________________________________________________

Prayer
Lord, it is counterintuitive for me to rejoice when I am suffering. Instead I want to grumble and
complain. Help me to take a step back and see the bigger picture. Your endgame is not my comfort, but
my character. You are molding me more into the image of Your Son, Jesus. I ask that You would pour an
extra measure of Your love into my heart through the Holy Spirit that You’ve given to me. Thank You for
the work You are doing in me. In trust that you will be faithful to complete it in Your perfect timing. In
Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

page 7
 7 Days of Hope-Filled Promises

Day 7

Promise
Be strong, and let your heart take courage,
all you who wait for the Lord! Psalm 31:24 (ESV)

Questions for Thought

1. What images come to mind when you hear the word “strong”?
2. How would you define courage?
3. What things in your life make you feel weak and afraid? Are you convinced that God can prevail over
those things?

Take Action!
Write your future self a note of encouragement that you can come back to during times of waiting and
frustration. Be sure to point your future self to the Lord.

_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Prayer
Lord, You are my source of strength and courage. I can be bold and courageous because You are more
than able to conquer my enemy and bring me through the battle victoriously. In times of waiting, may I
look to You for the strength I need. Help me to radiate the courage that You give me to all who are
around me. In Jesus’ name I pray.

page 8