What gives me the most hope every day is God's grace; knowing

“What gives me the most hope every day is God’s grace; knowing that His grace is going to give me the strength for whatever I face, knowing that nothing is a surprise to God.” — Thus spoke Rick Warren, the modern shepherd and author whose words have guided millions through seasons of doubt, loss, and renewal. In these few lines, he reveals a truth as ancient as faith itself: that grace — the unearned, inexhaustible love of God — is the fountain of both strength and hope. For the one who believes in divine providence can never be overcome by despair, for he knows that even in the storm, God is not surprised.

This saying is born from the heart of a man who has walked through joy and sorrow alike. Rick Warren, the pastor of Saddleback Church and author of The Purpose Driven Life, has often spoken of the power of grace not as theory, but as lived experience. After the tragedy of losing his son to depression, Warren stood not as one untouched by grief, but as one who endured it through faith. From that valley of sorrow came this declaration of hope — that even when the path ahead is shrouded in pain, God’s grace remains the steady light that never falters. The origin of this quote, then, is not from theology alone, but from the crucible of human suffering, where belief becomes unshakable truth.

In his words, there are three pillars of understanding: grace, strength, and divine sovereignty. First, grace — that sacred gift which asks for nothing and gives everything. It is the power that forgives the sinner, lifts the weary, and renews the broken. Grace does not depend on merit, for it flows freely from the love of God. It is this awareness, that one is never beyond redemption, that fills the believer with hope — the assurance that no matter what may come, he is not alone.

Second, there is strength, which is not born from pride or willpower, but from surrender. The world teaches men to conquer through their own might, yet Warren reminds us that true strength arises from dependence upon divine grace. As the Apostle Paul wrote, “My strength is made perfect in weakness.” To rely on grace is not to yield in defeat, but to draw from the inexhaustible well of God’s power — the strength that sustains through trial and restores after loss. Thus, each morning becomes an act of faith, for the believer rises not by his own will, but by the grace that renews all things.

Finally, Warren speaks of a mystery both humbling and comforting: “Nothing is a surprise to God.” In this, he captures the essence of trust. For though life may batter us with uncertainty, the Creator is never caught unaware. The believer walks through shadows, but never without the light of divine foresight. What confounds man is known to God; what shakes the heart is held within His eternal plan. This understanding — that even chaos is under the gaze of the Almighty — transforms fear into faith, and doubt into peace. For if God is never surprised, then there is no storm He cannot calm, no burden He cannot bear, no sorrow He cannot redeem.

Consider the life of Corrie ten Boom, the Dutch woman who sheltered Jews during the terror of World War II. Imprisoned in a concentration camp, she watched her sister die behind barbed wire — yet even there, she spoke of God’s grace sustaining her. “There is no pit so deep,” she said, “that God’s love is not deeper still.” Though surrounded by cruelty, she found strength not in hatred or defiance, but in trust that nothing — not even the evil of men — could surprise or overcome God. Like Warren, she lived the truth that grace is the eternal current carrying the soul through every tempest.

So, my children, let this wisdom be carved upon your hearts: hope is born not from ease, but from grace. Do not look for peace in circumstance, nor for strength in pride, for both will fail you. Look instead to the One who holds the universe in His hands and your tears in His heart. When the path grows dark, whisper to your soul that nothing has escaped His sight, and that His grace is already at work preparing your deliverance.

And in your daily life, live this truth through gratitude and faith. Begin each day by remembering that every breath is a gift, every challenge an opportunity to trust, every sorrow a seed of redemption. Let your hope be not fragile like glass, but steadfast like the mountains, grounded in the certainty that God’s grace is enough. For though the world may change, and men may falter, the love of God — unshaken, unsleeping, and unending — will always be your strength, your shield, and your song.