Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13 CSB
This doxology at the end of the doctrinal section of Romans is in the form of a prayer. A prayer for the believers in Rome, as well as for anyone else who reads these words. Hope is the focus of this prayer; that the God of hope would cause us to overflow with hope. But Paul does not directly pray for hope. Rather he prays for what will produce hope within us.
The first step in this process is that we believe in the God of hope. We should not expect God to do anything for us if we are not walking in faith. Paul prays that as we believe, God will fill us with all joy and peace. Joy and peace come, not from external circumstances, but through a relationship with God. We can have real joy and real peace only when we are walking with the one who made us. But all too often, we allow the troubles and cares of this world to intrude, dampening our joy and peace. Seeking to have God fill us with joy and peace is not a one-time request. It should be the ongoing desire of the believer’s heart.
The end result of being filled with joy and peace is that we will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Hope is not just a wishful desire. Rather it is confidence in what God has awaiting us. And that hope grows in the soil of joy and peace, tended by the Holy Spirit. If your hope is weak, seek the joy and peace God will give to those who believe. Then you can know overflowing hope in your life.