If you are in Christ, you have the assurance of hope.
Recently, something was said to me, innocently enough, that seemed to connect to wounds of my past. I became hurt and confused, and uncertain of myself. I began to become depressed. At times like this, I need to remember who God is and why I place my hope in him.
Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation, and my God.
Psalm 42:11
What is Hope?
Hope is the desire for a positive outcome. Dictionary.com states “to hope for something is to look forward to it with desire and reasonable confidence.” Merriam-Webster.com gives this definition: “to cherish a desire with anticipation or to want something to happen or be true.”
What I Long For is What I Hope For
I long for heaven. I long to see my God face to face. I long for no more tears, no more pain, no more death. I long to be with family members who have left this world before me. I long to see the promises of God fulfilled. I long to spend eternity with God. I long for these things with hope and confidence that I will experience them.
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
Revelation 21:3-4
Christian Hope
Having faith is choosing to believe and trust in God. Having hope is choosing to believe what God says is true concerning the future. Having Christian hope is knowing God’s promises are true for me.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
Hebrews 11:1
I have the assurance of what I hope for. I have the conviction of things unseen.
Why I Hope
- I hope because of my faith in God. I believe in Jesus. I believe he died to pay the price for my sins. Through him, my sins are forgiven, and I can have a right relationship with God. I believe God’s Word and his promises are true. I place my trust and hope in God.
1Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5:1-5
- I hope because I love God and choose to believe him. Because of my love for God, I don’t just choose to believe him, I do believe him. I know he loves me, too, and I know all he does, he does in love. I know he is good. I know he is trustworthy. Therefore, I hope in him.
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God…23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
Romans 8:18-19,23-25
- I hope because I experience God’s love and his presence. All my experiences of God lead me to trust him. God is loving. God is trustworthy. God if faithful. I know I can hope in Him.
Lamentations 3:21-24
21 But this I call to mind,
and therefore I have hope:
22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
23 they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”
Three Things God Wants Us to Know
According to Ephesians 1:16-20, three of the important things that God wants us to know are these:
- The hope to which we are called
- The riches of his glorious inheritance
- The immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe.
Paul prays that God will give believers the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of God and have the eyes of hearts enlightened to be able to know these things.
16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,
Ephesians 1:16-20
Always Remember to Praise and Place Your Hope in God
There are days we will be discouraged. There are days in which we won’t feel the hope to which we are called. God may even seem far away. But remember. God doesn’t change. His promises are true. He is the great I AM, Creator of the Universe and lover of our souls. God’s Spirit dwells within us and will never leave us. God’s love is constant, steadfast, perfect, faithful, and forever. Trust God. Hope in him, and praise him.
But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.
Psalm 71:14
Praise God Even if You’re Feeling Low
Praise God for who he is and for all he has done. Praise him for his miracles long ago and for his miracles in your life now. Praise God because he is good, and his steadfast love endures forever. Praise God for his promises. Be assured and confident of God’s promises. Know hope and love your God.
But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him”—
1 Corinthians 2:9
Dear Father God,
We thank you that we can come before you in prayer, and we thank you for your presence here with us in a special way.
Father, we love you, we trust you, we believe in you. We believe in your Word and know that all your promises are true. We thank you that, because of Jesus, and what he did for us at the cross, we have life eternal with you. We thank you that there will be a day when there will be no more tears or pain, or death and you will make all things new. With confidence, we look forward to that day.
We love you, Father, and place our hope in you. You are all we need, our all-in-all, our everything. You are all-powerful, all-loving, all-good, all-holy, sovereign, perfect and eternal. We pray to know you more, love you more, obey you more, and serve you more.
We pray this in the name of your Son, Jesus.
Your grateful child,
SJR