The Buffalo Bills have had a roller-coaster season. They started the year with two losses, then won four straight, went on to lose three in a row, and have now won their last two games. Despite sitting ninth in the AFC standings, and having a record of 6-5, their playoff hopes are still alive.

With a small chance to still sneak in, having a very confident and optimistic coach like Rex Ryan is a big plus. After their win on Sunday against the Jaguars, he said:

“One thing about us, we’re going to compete all the way. I mean all the way until they say we can’t play anymore, we’re going to keep competing and keep grinding and that’s what we’ll do. Whether we’re comfortable or not, this is the situation we’re in. We’re going to be fighting all the way, though.”

I respect that mentality and appreciate the hope he’s hanging onto as they pursue that playoff berth. Having hope allows a team to continue to fight, persevere, and see the potential opportunities in front of them, instead of giving up because it appears unlikely. It’s difficult for a team with no hope to show up and keep competing and grinding.

Hope is valuable in sports, but it’s also something extremely worthwhile for all of us to have in our own lives. Looking positively toward the future, while viewing possibilities and opportunities with confident anticipation, is what keeps us fighting and persevering.

Our ultimate hope is rooted in Jesus, and we know our future is secure because of Him and the eternal life He’s given us. We can also know that in Him, all things are possible because of His power and goodness.

As bleak as life gets, we can trust that our struggles are temporary in light of eternity and that God will sustain us through it all. We have the hope that He’s using our circumstances to grow us and change us and can redeem any situation.

Fortunately, the Bible is filled with promises of hope. Romans 15:13 (NLT) says, “I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”

If Christ is in us, we can abound in hope no matter what we face today and will face in the future. Today, let’s cling to Romans 12:12 (ESV) – “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”

I’m Bryce Johnson and you can unpack that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, thank you for providing me hope for today and for eternity. I’m grateful that You love me and are with me through difficult times. Help me to have hope that those circumstances are temporary and even valuable in the bigger picture. I pray this in Jesus’ name, Amen.