A Prayer to Keep Hope Alive
By: Kristine Brown
“But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.” (Psalm 33:18-19 NIV)
It was my son’s fourth birthday. We’d gathered with family and friends at the local pizza place to celebrate. After indulging in more pizza and cake than I’d like to admit, we said our goodbyes and loaded our sleepy preschooler into the car as he gripped his favorite souvenir from the day— a helium-filled birthday balloon.
Late into the evening, our son watched that balloon float effortlessly over the kitchen table. He loved it so much. Then without warning, he began praying out loud, “Dear God, please help my balloon to stay alive forever.” Against all odds, our son held on to hope.
As you can imagine, my mom-instincts took over. I didn’t want my sweet boy to be disappointed when the inevitable happened. I dreaded the day he woke up to find the shriveled balloon laying in a pile of curly string on the ground, but I didn’t know what to say. So I decided to trust God with this life lesson instead of discouraging my boy’s simple prayer.
Psalm 33:18-19 offers the same kind of hope our son displayed when he prayed that day. I love how the psalmist emphasized our need for hope, even in times of famine. “But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.”
In these verses, famine refers to times when God’s people literally lacked what they needed to survive. But we can also experience spiritual and emotional famine. When our hearts are parched because of our circumstances. In those difficult times, God is our only hope. And because of His unfailing love, we can keep our hope alive through our hardest days.
After many days, my son’s prized balloon did eventually sink, one inch at a time. Instead of dreading its demise, I smiled each morning that we woke up and found it still floating. It lasted much longer than I expected, and that was more than enough for our hope-filled boy with his helium-filled balloon. Let’s pray this prayer to fill our hearts with hope today.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Sometimes I struggle to keep hope alive in my life when circumstances appear hopeless. Forgive me for letting my faith wane because of what I see happening all around me. I know you are the answer when I need to be refilled with hope.
The words of Psalm 33:22 are my prayer today, “Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.” You are my portion when I am spiritually, emotionally, or physically weary. I choose hope, and with that choice, I know your love surrounds me. Praise you Lord for your unfailing love in my life!
I know whatever difficulties I face, I can always count on this truth: you will never stop loving me, and you will never leave me to face challenges alone. Thank you for the hope I have in eternal life because of you.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
For more spiritual growth resources, check out this free digital download from today’s devotion writer Kristine Brown, 100 of God’s Promises for Your Unraveled Heart. You’ll find weekly encouragement to help you “become more than yourself through God’s Word” at her website, kristinebrown.net. Kristine is the author of the book, Cinched: Living with Unwavering Trust in an Unfailing God.
Related Resource: Starting 2026 with Intention: Confidence, Diligence, and God’s Direction
As we begin a brand-new year, I want to help you slow down and listen for God’s invitation in your life. In this episode, we kick off our One Word 2026 series — a simple, prayerful way to reflect on where you’ve been and discern how God may be inviting you to grow in the year ahead.
I introduce the heart behind choosing a spiritual “one word,” not as a goal to achieve, but as a posture to receive. We explore two of the six words I’ll be offering this month — confidence and diligence — and look at how Scripture invites us to grow, not by relying on our own strength, but by trusting God’s faithfulness over time.
This episode is part of our How to Study the Bible Podcast, a show that brings life back to reading the Bible and helps you understand even the hardest parts of Scripture. If this episode helps you know and love God more, be sure to subscribe to the How to Study the Bible Podcast on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!
