Paul was in chains, yet he spoke of hope. This wasn’t a vague wish for a better day; it was a “hope in what God has promised.” Often, our greatest trials are directly linked to our greatest convictions. Paul reminds us that hope isn’t a feeling we have when things go well; it’s an anchor we hold onto when things look bleak.
As Bob Stewart, the meteorologist on duty, began to talk to me about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I began to experience a new kind of hope that my marriage could be healed. It wouldn’t happen overnight, but his confidence in what he knew Jesus could do for me helped me persevere in overcoming a lifestyle of depravity.
It’s amazing what happens when you begin to have hope in something with a strong foundation. As Bob and I talked over the next few months, I grew increasingly comfortable visiting with him. Instead of viewing him as a religious fanatic, I began to see him as a man of integrity with deep convictions.
I had no idea what an important role this man was playing in my life.