Faith, Hope & Love: What Is Hope?

Here is the devotional:

As we defined on Day 1, hope is our desire to see something happen or become true.

She gave up hope.
The team hoped they’d win the game.
We hope that rain won’t ruin the party.

It’s hard for us to survive without hope. Because of that, we often place our hope in objects, experiences, and people, which leads to disappointment for us when our expectations are unrealistic and therefore, mismanaged. What we should be doing is placing our hope in our God. Let’s take a look at what God’s Word holds for us when it comes to hope.

The Apostle Paul wrote that hope doesn’t put us to shame because of God’s love that’s been poured out on us (Romans 5:5). He also writes that hope that we can see isn’t hope (Romans 8:24). And the best thing we can learn about hope is that our God authored it, and as we learn to trust in Him, He fills us with so much hope that we’re overflowing with it (Romans 15:13).

Hope is an anticipation and expectation that God is working even if we can’t see it. It’s a spiritual optimism that actually leads to building our faith. We might say that faith and hope go hand in hand. While faith is the belief that God is who He says He is and that we should trust in Him, hope is the expectation that He’s there. So, when we have hope in God, it actually propels our faith.

How do we live it out?
Living our lives with hope often comes down to knowing how to navigate our thoughts. We can become overwhelmed and even feel defeated in things that have little to no eternal impact. When plans fail and we’re disappointed, we can still have hope despite earthly disappointments. We choose to hold onto the hope that God has prepared a glorious place for us in heaven that’ll never end. 

What do I do when my hope is low?
When hope feels far off, it’s likely that we had situational hope. This kind of hope that we place on temporary things or even people often brings despair. So, take a minute to analyze where you’ve directed your hope. If you’ve placed your hope in anything in this world, redirect that hope toward God. Our hope is secure when we’re grounded in Jesus and are expectant about spending eternity with Him.

Here are the scriptures referenced:

By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Romans 5:2‭-‬5 KJV

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For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?

But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Romans 8:24‭-‬25 KJV

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Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Romans 15:13 KJV

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Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1 Peter 1:3 KJV

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Here are Stu’s thoughts:

I have been in that place of losing hope before. It’s not a good place to be.

But my problem was that I was placing that hope into the wrong things.

A lot of us place our hope in the wrong things. And we even use the word hope nonchalantly.

Many of us hope for a great marriage but unless you work at your marriage that hope is just a word.

We also have hope in our salvation which is a valid form of hope, as we are hoping (wishing) of eternal life in heaven and not hell. But you also must work out your own salvation.. Philippians 2:12

The hope I want to concentrate on is the one mentioned in Romans 15:13…

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Romans 15:13 KJV

Hope through the power of the Holy Spirit given to us by God upon our salvation. We had the hope to step out in faith and admit we needed Jesus believing at that moment that he was who he said he was and that he was real!

Oh…the joy and peace we had shortly afterwards. Where did it go?

It left with the first storm for many…sadly. 

That hope is rekindled through the power of the Holy Ghost, right?

So how do we get that hope back…that peace…that joy?

We get it through through prayer. We get it through reading God’s Word. We get through hearing other’s testimonies!

For the Holy Spirit speaks to God on our behalf through our prayers. The Holy Spirit makes the Word of God come ALIVE!  The Holy Spirit moves when others share their stories!

Therein lies hope. For if we do not have the Holy Spirit living within us we have no hope.

The Holy Spirit dwells inside each believer as promised by Christ. Allow the Spirit of God to give you hope!

Hope for a better tomorrow! Hope for an eternity spent in the presence of our Creator! Hope in knowing that God wants no one to perish but for them to come to the saving knowledge of who Jesus is!

Get in your prayer space and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal himself to you. I promise you you will know it when it happens and you will smile…a smile full of hope!