The leader of our Hope Night for our Table of Hope ministry, shared this scripture with me for our next meeting. As I read it, I knew it was too powerful not to share.

In Luke 24, we see two disciples walking along the road. Jesus had just been crucified. Their hearts were heavy. They were confused, grieving, and deeply sad. They had just experienced trauma — Jesus had died. The one they loved and followed was gone. With His death, they lost their sense of safety and were left with deep uncertainty about the future.

And then — Jesus met them.

He walked with them.
He opened the Scriptures to them.
He reminded them of God’s promises.

And suddenly, something changed.

Not their circumstances.
Not their situation.

What changed was their thoughts about the situation.

Scripture tells us:
“Did not our hearts burn within us as He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” — Luke 24:32 (NLT)

Their hearts burned with hope when they opened themselves to Scripture — when they shifted their focus from fear and sorrow to God’s truth. Nothing externally had changed, yet internally everything changed. Their thoughts shifted, and with that shift came hope and courage.

Just like those disciples, many of us are walking our own difficult roads:

• Loss of a loved one

• Marriage struggles

• Worry about our children

• Loneliness

• Financial stress

• Feeling overwhelmed

This passage is a powerful reminder that God created us with an incredible brain — and with free will over our thoughts. Our thoughts are not powerless. In fact, they are often more powerful than our struggles or circumstances.

Peace and hope can arrive before circumstances change.

I want to say that again — peace and hope can arrive before the circumstances change.

When we open Scripture, we are reminded of God’s promises. We allow truth to gently redirect our thoughts, calm our hearts, and restore hope.

What challenges are you carrying today?

Just as the disciples did on that road, you can choose where your thoughts rest. You can choose to focus on Scripture and hope rather than fear and despair