Articles
Hope
What are you hoping for? A perfect job? A perfect spouse? A perfect child? We use the
term "hope" to refer to pipe dreams, wishful thinking, and fantasies. But very few of us actually
understand what true "hope" is. The Dictionary defines hope as “a wish or desire supported by
some confidence of its fulfillment.” Hope from a Biblical perspective is exactly that —a belief
grounded in faith and based upon the promises of a God who always keeps His word and never
lies.
"We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces
perseverance; perseverance, character; character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us
because God has poured out His love in our hearts" (Rom. 5:3-5). Hope enables us to keep
going even when we are going through difficult, and impossible situations. "Anyone who is
among the living has hope—even a live dog is better off than a dead lion" (Eccl. 9:4). If you are
still breathing, there is hope for you! No matter what you have done or what you are going
through, God’s hope is available to you because of three unchangeable biblical truths.
First, God is a God of second chances, forgiveness, and redemption. It is never too late to
get right with the Lord. "He does treat us as our sins deserve. . . as far as the east is from the
west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." (Psa. 103: 10,12). Your past can be
forgotten and there is hope for a new future.
Secondly, God has the power to make all things new —even you. "His mercies never
fail...They are new every morning… The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him" (Lam.
3:22-23, 25). Each day we wake up is a chance to be the person we need to be.
Finally, the Bible tells us life is temporary. When I am going through something painful,
if I know it will end, I can endure it. We have something much better to look forward to. “For
we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal
house in heaven, not built by human hands” (2 Cor. 5:1).
The devil wants you to stay in bondage, fear, and dread. But the "God of hope wants to
fill you with all joy and peace as you trust Him, so that you may overflow with hope" (Rom.
15:13). When the Psalmist was distraught, he cried out, "Why are you downcast, O my soul?...
Put your hope in God" (Psa. 42:5). He knew the remedy for discouragement—look expectantly
to the Lord for deliverance and trust that He is fully capable of bringing it to pass. ~B Tolbert
