A Bright Future

Proverbs 10:28

“The prospect of the righteous is joy, but the hopes of the wicked come to nothing.“

Do you want a bright future? Well, the only way to get a bright future is to stay in the will of God. This verse in proverbs tells us that the future plans of the righteous bring joy. We are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. When we are following Jesus and obeying God’s will for our lives, we can be assured that our plans will bring joy into our hearts. Joy isn’t temporary. It isn’t based on our circumstances. It’s a fruit of the Spirit of God that grows up on the inside of us. This isn’t saying that the righteous will never have any problems or that the righteous will never experience any heartache or any difficulty in life. That’s just not realistic! What it’s saying is that even in the midst of difficult circumstances, trials, and tribulations, we can experience joy in our hearts, knowing that we are in Christ and that we are God’s children.

On the other hand, if we live our lives selfishly. If we serve ourselves instead of God and always insist on having things our own way, we can’t expect to find real and lasting joy. The hopes of the wicked come to nothing because they have no assurance before God. They don’t have the Holy Spirit within them, offering them good fruit. They don’t have God on their side. The wicked go through good times and bad times just like the righteous do, but they are controlled by their circumstance because they have no eternal assurance an no confidence before God. They have no promises from God to stand on.

When we live life God’s way, we are guaranteed His blessings and His favor, and we can trust in His promises to us from His Word. As long as we receive by faith and stand firm in our identity in Christ, the favor of God is ours for the asking.

Father, I thank you that you sent Jesus to die on my behalf and to pay the penalty for my sin. In Jesus, I am righteous. You have given me your Holy Spirit to lead and to guide me so that I can walk through life in your Will and on the path that you have chosen for me. I know when I follow in your footsteps I am guaranteed your blessings and your favor. Thank you for that grace. Thank you also that I can walk through any difficulties I may face with your joy inside my heart. It’s a gift from you and a fruit of your Spirit. Thank you for the many gifts you shower on me out of your great love for me. You bless me even when I don’t deserve it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.