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What does hope mean to us Christians? And how is it supposed to function in our lives? When we have hope for something, we tend to have an optimistic expectation. We might not even know how to get that thing we are hoping for, but because we believe in God, our heart knows that somehow, someway, that thing we long for will come to pass.
When faith is defined in the Bible, we see that the word 'hope' is prominent. Hebrews 11:1 - To have faith is to be sure of the things we hope for, to be certain of the things we cannot see (GNT). As such, we cannot have faith without having hope. Also, we are told in Romans 8:24-25 - For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? / But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. This reveals that we hope for what we don't yet have but anticipate receiving in the future.
This same Bible also highlights that our hopes can take a long time (Proverbs 13:12). Hannah was mocked but held onto hope and never stopped praying that God would answer her prayers for children. And He did (1 Samuel 1). Joseph waited in prison and as a slave until God's promise came to pass. Prophet Anna waited patiently day and night for Jesus to be brought to the temple in hope and faith that God's word about Him would be fulfilled in her lifetime (Luke 2).
We, believers, continue to hope for all manner of things. Our hopes must hinge on God and His faithfulness. We have to be confident that not only is He able to do things for us but that He will. If we lose sight of this, then we will let go of hope, something we are warned against. Hebrews 10:35 promises that our confident hope in the Lord, the One who fulfills the desires of the heart, will surely be rewarded.
There are times in our journey where hope is deferred, and our dreams are dashed. That is never a fun experience. And yet, God still wants His people to hold on to hope and not let it go. But why then does He allow our hopes to be crushed in the first place, you ask?
God's ways are higher than ours, so we may never fully understand why such things happen. However, the Bible and the experiences of many believers provide some insight into why such takes place. A key element is disobedience, but there are other barriers to prayer that negatively impact what we hope for. Many of us abuse God's grace, forgetting that there will be consequences. The 'Vashti line' is real, and we can't forget that we are dealing with the Almighty. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and shields us.
For some of us, we don't see what we hope for because we think we are in the driver's seat of our lives. We forget that we need to be in God's plan and timing. We also haven't humbled ourselves to genuinely let Him determine what we hope for. We instead have decided to let the world, rather than His Word, control our minds and shape our desires. But since God knows best and, in His love, wants the best for us, He might not allow those hopes to come to fruition. Not to punish us, but to keep us from the negative results we don't even realize are part and parcel of these 'hopes' of ours.
Personally, I have had to let go of dreams and hopes in my quest to serve the Lord. This has not been easy, and in fact, I have wrestled with this but came to learn that submission and obedience would get me further along than the opposite. For everything I gave up, I received immeasurably more than I could ask for or imagine. I've also watched God reignite abandoned desires and hopes, bringing them to pass without me having to pray or even think about them. Not only am I far from perfect, but I am also not unique. Still, He reinforced His word that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him.
Are there desires and dreams you have had that you are watching die? Don't be afraid. With God, all things are possible, and He has a way of stripping us of things only to give us His more. It's an uneven exchange - whatever you receive will be far greater than what you 'lost'. In this kingdom, we sometimes have to lose to win, but we will certainly win because with God, those 'defeats' lead to victory. So, don't let go of hope and your ability to hope.
Let God determine what you hope for instead and walk with Him on the journey He has for you. A journey that will fashion you into who you were created to be. A journey that will show that your hope was never cut short. It just took a detour so God's great plans for your life could manifest. God bless you.
What are your thoughts? Please share them. And as you wait for fellowship, watch the video in the Altar Call and read these old posts:
