As we step into 2025, we should do so with a heart of hope. We should step lightly, with faith and joyfulness about what’s to come.
It can be difficult to move on from a period that has sapped so much hope from many of us, whether that’s from our families, our healing, or our money. Luckily, God spoke His promises–love, joy, peace, resilience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control–over us and many of our generations. His Word is His promise.
Do you know Jeremiah 29:11? It says; “For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future.”
In the Passion translation, God says, “I know all about the marvellous destiny I have in store for you, a future planned out in detail. My intention is not to harm you but to surround you with peace and prosperity and to give you a beautiful future, glistening with hope.”
Let’s discuss some of God’s Words we can take with us into 2025. Need Prayer has selected promises of His we feel glisten with hope and are markers of a beautiful future.
The Fruit of the Spirit and Hope
Each fruit of the spirit bears hope and is borne of hope.
For instance, hope creates love and love creates hope. Thus, we’re going to discuss one of His promises in the Word regarding each fruit of the spirit. We hope you find a promise to carry with you during 2025.
Galatians 5:22 reads, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.”
*All verses are NIV unless indicated otherwise.
Love
God’s love is the strongest force; “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in him.”
This is written in Lamentations 3:22–23. Every morning you wake up is a reminder of His love and a fresh opportunity to grow closer to Him.
This verse is God’s promise that He is faithful to you and loves you no matter what.
Joy
Nehemiah 8:10 says “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!”.
Be happy that He loves you, and use this joy to stay strong.
Peace
Isaiah 41:10: “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
When God says “I am with you”, He reassures us that He is intimately present with us and that we’re never alone, even when the going gets tough. Then, He speaks of His “righteous right hand,” signifying that whatever is wrong will be righted by His strength and commitment to justice on our behalf “I will uphold you…”
God is your peace and your righteous right hand.
Patience
In Ecclesiastes 7:8, it says “Through patience, a ruler can be persuaded, and a gentle tongue can break a bone.”
Patience is a strong force. It is the foundation for hope and connecting–when we’re patient, we act in good faith that circumstances will improve. Moreover, when we cultivate patience, it makes growing hope in our hearts easier and makes us more resilient in our faith.
Kindness
In Jeremiah 31:3, it’s written that “The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.”
In this verse, God says that His love for you is eternal, “everlasting”, it will transcend time and circumstances. God also says He has “drawn you with unfailing kindness”. This means He pursues you, He looks for you and protects you.
Use this verse to comfort you and remind you of the loving-kindness and safety you’ll find in Him.
Goodness
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” This is written in Romans 12:21.
Nowadays, we don’t see as much evil in our everyday lives as people likely did when Jesus walked the earth. Evil is much less tangible. For a lot of people, evil can appear as fear, lashing out, anger, greed–any of the sins God vehemently objects to in Galatians 5.
In 2025, overcome ‘evil’, with the good we discuss in this post.
Gentleness
Ephesians 4:2 says “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”
When we practice being humble, gentle, patient, and looking at one another with love, we open our hearts to receiving hope and soften them to the Lord.
Self-Control
The last fruit of the spirit is self-control. In Proverbs 25:28, it says that “a man without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.”
Self-control is our ability to manage our desires and impulses. Things like love, food, anger, lust, and other impulses. When we can’t manage our own impulses, we’re vulnerable to attack, just like a city without walls is.
May You Have a Beautiful 2025 That Glistens with Hope
Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed reading about the fruits of the spirit and how they can create hope in our lives. Hope is a force all of us need in our lives. It drives us to do what’s right when no one is looking, have faith when there is no indication that we should, and stay resilient in difficult times.
This year, do your very best to embrace love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control—knowing that, regardless of how you succeed or stumble, God loves you unconditionally.
If you would like help to practise any fruit of the spirit or have a question about any of God’s Word, please reach out to Need Prayer or submit a prayer request. We would love to pray with you!