“Hope” is a word that gets thrown around a lot in the English vocabulary. We say things like, “I hope it doesn’t rain on Saturday.” Or, “I’m hoping for the best.” Because we commonly use the term this way, many of us wrongly assume that “hope” is passive, meaning we assume the secular definition of hope. In a secular sense, hope can be described as simply wanting something to happen. It’s a passive attitude with no real expectations. Sadly, many of us confuse the concept of secular hope with the kind of hope that is described in the Bible. Human beings need hope to survive. Solomon said, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life” (Prov. 13:12).
Biblical hope differs from secular hope in the sense that it is filled with active anticipation. The Holman Bible Dictionary defines hope as “trustful expectation, particularly with reference to the fulfillment of God’s promises. Biblical hope is the anticipation of a favorable outcome under God’s guidance. More specifically, hope is the confidence that what God has done for us in the past guarantees our participation in what God will do in the future.”[1] Biblical hope is a game-changer because it’s based on the reality that God will do as He promised.
On occasion, we will find ourselves in a season when we are forced to wait for something important and our hope runs low. As we wait, it’s wise to direct our thoughts to the promises of God and anchor our hope in His faithfulness. Hope is a central theme in the Christian faith. We serve the God of hope (Rom. 15:13), we are called to hope (Eph. 1:18), we are commanded to hold fast to our hope (Heb. 10:23), and we are born again to a living hope (1 Pet. 1:3).
As Christ-followers, we know God is who He says He is, and there is nothing too hard for Him (Jer. 32:17). There is no situation beyond His reach (Isa. 59:1). He can do more in a millisecond than a panel of the world’s leaders can bring to pass in a lifetime. Regardless of what we’re up against, we have good reason to hope.
Thoughts To Ponder:
How would you describe your level of hope? What stirs your hope?
As you think about your circumstances, what promises from the Scriptures can you memorize or meditate on to increase your hope?
