I spent my exercise time encouraging myself in the Lord the other day, and the following came to my mind while I was walking.

Faith

Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

~ Hebrews 11:1, NLT

The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see.

~ Hebrews 11:1, MSG

Trust

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

~ Proverbs 3:5-6, NIV

Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track.

~ Proverbs 3:5-6, MSG

Hope

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

~ Romans 5:5, NIV

In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary - we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit.

~ Romans 5:5, MSG

I'm stating the obvious, but I felt better when I ended my walk than when I started. Once I returned home I spent some time reading and lingering over these scriptures, and the longer I considered their message the more encouraged I became.

It seems to me the stronger my faith the more I trust Him. And the more I trust Him the more hope I have in Him. Then, the more hope I have the stronger my faith becomes.

Simply put: faith = trust = hope = more faith = more trust = more hope and so on. In light of how that happens, it is no wonder He gives each of us a measure of faith.

Maybe you're feeling discouraged. It is my prayer you will receive what you need from reading the simple message I've shared with you today.

Be blessed!