I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 NLT
“I hope it doesn’t rain today.” “I hope the Browns win.” “I hope the traffic isn’t bad this morning.”
The dictionary defines hope as “a feeling that what we want to happen will happen.” This kind of hope isn’t wrong. It expresses our desires. But that’s not the biblical definition of hope. Our hope is not just wishful thinking. It’s not simple optimism. It is a confident expectation and assurance of God's faithfulness and goodness, regardless of our current situation. It is anticipation of an outcome that will be right and for my good.
Hope is what enables me to live positively and well regardless of what my today looks like. Ordinary hope is a dream based on what happens in my circumstances. God’s hope is based on the certainty of what and Who I have, regardless of what happens.
Hope is courageously expectant. It is based on God, my Source. It isn’t the faith that whistles in the dark. It is the confidence that God is with me in the light AND the dark, and He is working on my behalf.
Hope stabilizes me. Hebrews 6:19 refers to hope as “an anchor to the soul, both sure and steadfast.” It is not based on the most recent news or prediction. It does not fluctuate like the tide. It enables me to stand firmly no matter what challenges surround me because I do not determine the outcome.
Hope is a central characteristic of a vital Christian. Paul reminds us in Ephesians 2:12 that before we knew Jesus, we had no hope and were without God in the world. We were bleak like everyone else around us. But when we came to know God, the Source of hope, everything changed. We are now connected to a well of hope that never runs dry.
This hope is not something I grit my teeth and work up on my own. It flows from my trust in God. When I place my confident hope in His wisdom to know what is best, His love to give what is best, and His power to do what is best, I will experience joy and peace. Joy is the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be all right, and the determined choice to praise God in all things” (Kay Warren). And that leads to complete peace.
- The content and character of your life is based on your Source and your focus. Who and what you are choosing determines the outcomes of your life.