What is Hope

     In the Bible hope stands for confident expectancy. Hope does not arise from our desires or wishes but from God, who is Himself the believer's hope as in Psalm 39:7 and now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee. Real true hope is not wishful thinking, but it is a firm assurance about unseen and still in the future as in Romans 8:24, 25 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we do not see, then do we with patience wait for it. Hope more or less distinguishes the Christian from the unbeliever, who has no hope. A Christian is one whom hope resides in as in 1 Peter 3:15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.

     Our day-to-day experiences and hardships are sometimes overwhelming; unless we can see that God’s purpose is to bring about continual growth in us. The hope we need is well expressed in Jeremiah 17:17 Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil. ’They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, God will listen. Retaining hope while we suffer shows we understand God’s merciful ways of relating to his people.

     Our relationship with God begins with faith, which helps us realize that we are delivered from our past sins by Christ’s death. Hope grows as we learn all that God has in mind for us; it gives us the promise of the future, and God’s love fills our life and gives us the ability to reach out to others to share it.

     Because Jesus Christ came back to life, so will all believers. All Christians, including those living when Christ returns, will live with Christ forever. Therefore, we need not despair when loved ones die or world events take a tragic turn. God will turn our tragedies to triumphs, our poverty to riches, our pain to glory, and our defeat to victory. All believers throughout history will stand reunited in God’s very presence. As Paul comforted his people with the promise of the Resurrection, so we should comfort and reassure each other with this great hope.

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