Real and Lasting Hope!
Hope is a word or concept that I held at arm’s length in the past, afraid of letting it into my life. I was the girl believing the best for you and your situation while waiting for the bottom to fall out of mine. I covered up this (nagging) tendency with a smile on my face and a resolve to make it—no matter what. That’s how I rolled, and that was normal to me.
To be honest, I didn’t fully understand hope, nor did I understand the hope that was mine in and through Jesus Christ. Hope was more of a feeling associated with my circumstances. As a result, hope tended to come and go based on my perspective of life.
I began my Christian journey at the age of six and learned from studying the Bible and going to church that hope originated with God. I heard about hope and probably knew a few scriptures referring to hope, but I was never fully introduced to hope. Other concepts like love, grace, sin, and transformation were taught and discussed time and time again. Hope, on the other hand, was a concept that was vaguely familiar to me.
When I was writing On the Road with Ruth, I kept coming across the concept of hope. It often was discussed on the backdrop of pain or loss. That contrast kept catching my attention. I noted each occurrence and tucked away the truths, planning to revisit and do a little more digging.
As I went back and stared exploring, I was able to see how hope is at the center of our walk with God. I was not only reminded but also encouraged to truly believe that God is hope, and we are people of hope! Why is this important? When we understand biblical hope, we walk in victory instead of defeat. We keep our eyes on the prize of Jesus even when our circumstances tempt us to get distracted.
What is biblical hope? If hope isn’t a feeling produced by our circumstances, what is it and how can we experience it? I have good news to share with you: Hope is trustful expectation in regard to the promises of God. 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.”
I like to think of hope like this: Hope is God’s promises and presence as a bedrock of strength no matter what happens in life. In every situation, God is faithful to establish truth and provide the way forward. All the while, He is in charge and working to accomplish His good plan.
You see, biblical hope has never been rooted in a temporary outcome but has always been connected to God’s eternal purposes. When we understand hope in this light, we no longer hold God at arm’s length by running, hiding, or waiting for the bottom to fall out. Rather, we fully embrace God and His plan in the midst of any and every circumstance, knowing that He is willing and able to make a way. He always has, and He always will. To learn more about real and lasting hope, download my free eBook titled, Hope: More Than a Feeling at www.andrealennonministry.org
