Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (CSB)

There have been significant storms in the Midwest this spring and many rivers are overflowing their banks. The devastation caused by floodwaters is both terrifying and tragic. Too much water – rain, melting snow, rising groundwater – is not a good thing.

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“Grab the towels and a plunger!” When there’s a clog in the toilet and the water is perilously close to the rim and then hits the tipping point and begins to overflow onto the floor, it’s past time to react. Water flooding the floor – especially from the toilet – is not a good thing.

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I was recently watering my plants – giving them a refreshing drink which they desperately needed after my travels. A few minutes later I noticed water running down a wall and onto a table. The water had drained too quickly through the soil and was coming down from the upstairs landing. Water spilling on the floor is not a good thing!

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Overflowing. We can all think of times that overflowing has caused a few moments of panic, racing, and then clean-up.

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But is overflowing always a negative?

In our verse for today, Paul gives a beautiful blessing as he writes to the church in Rome. He is praying that God will do a work of abundance in them – filling them to overflowing with hope. His prayer is specifically for the believers to be filled with joy and with peace. We could certainly use more joy and peace in our lives. But notice, he follows those words with an interesting phrase - “as you believe.” There’s a bit of a condition to his blessing. Paul is asking God to pour out an abundance of joy and peace upon those who are believing in Him.  

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It’s easy to forget that we have a responsibility. Lately, I seem to be reading many verses that start with the word “if,” which remind me that I have a role, and my obedience plays a part in His response. Not because He needs me to obey, but because He wants me to obey and learn to trust Him.

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As we follow Jesus – walking with Him, learning, growing, praying, obeying – we are actively involved in the process of believing. This is when His joy and peace are poured out in abundance – even to the point of overflowing.

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The miraculous part – the part that truly requires the power of the Holy Spirit – is that the pouring in of joy and peace overflows out in hope. Isn’t that just like God – to not only give abundance but to be transformative in the process?!

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Have you ever wondered what the purpose of this overflowing hope is? It shouldn’t just be for us to enjoy the hope we have in Jesus Christ. It should be that we overflow with hope and are a testimony of hope to those around us. Our lives should be different. Our hope is different. Our overflow is meant to be shared!

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This also reminds me of Luke 6:45b: “for his mouth speaks from the overflow of his heart.” I used to teach my kids this verse as a way of talking about how what goes into their hearts will eventually come out of their mouths. This is true for all of us. If we fill ourselves primarily with the world’s point of view, pop culture, and things that are not godly, we will overflow and speak of those things. But when we fill ourselves with God’s Word, meet with Him in prayer, and spend time fellowshipping with other believers, we will overflow with Jesus.

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What is your heart filled with? Do you hear yourself saying things or thinking things that you wonder where those things came from? Maybe it’s time to examine what you’re putting into your mind and heart. The overflow comes from somewhere.

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And when the overflow is hope, as God intended, consider where are you overflowing into. Who are you impacting? Don’t keep the hope of Jesus to yourself! Overflow into the lives of those around you.

Father God,  

I thank you for having an amazing design. When I’m walking with you and growing in my faith, you desire to fill me with joy and peace. Thank you! You go beyond just filling me, you fill me so I can overflow hope to others. Help me to share this overflow freely! Show me, this week, who you want me to overflow into and how I can be a vessel of your hope.

Amen.