Why Hope?

When we're in the midst of life's darkest storms the hardest thing to find is hope. How can we hope for anything good to come from something so dismaying? Why should we find good in this situation? How can we have faith knowing God is going to ever answer our requests when it feels like He's continually disregarding our desires? Will He ever bless us with joy instead of the constant struggles that never seem to cease?

We may be in a place of utter despair. We may feel like our world has been shattered. Even though we may feel trapped in the current discouragement of our present circumstances, we can find hope.

Hope doesn't involve security. It doesn't require you knowing the certainty of your future. It doesn't involve a planned out future with perfect happy days. True hope is when we have an unknown future, with a secure faith in God, even before our circumstances change. We can rest in God because we have His promises to root our faith in. God has promised us that He will provide exactly what we need, in His perfect timing. He has promised us that He will direct us when we place our trust in Him. We don't have to worry when terrible things happen or our future is unclear. We can have hope knowing that He is directing, protecting and providing just what we need, in the timing we need it. He's taking care of things and has it all planned out, we don't need to worry.

Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hope doesn't just involve a happy longing for the future, it runs much deeper than that. Hope is a tight-knit bond with faith and belief. We need to believe in the object we are placing our hope in. Why would we get our hopes up if we were afraid we would only be let down?

I have found that my heart gets so much more broken when I allow my mind to run ahead of me and I get my hopes up for what "could be." I struggle often in letting my mind run ahead of me with the desires I have, only to be discouraged when they don't turn out the way I had imagined them in my mind. It's because I was placing my hope in my dreams, my desires or in something that continually will change. I wasn't placing my hope in something secure. Something that never changes. Someone who will never let me down. Someone that's got it all in His hands. I allow my hope to be controlled by the earthly satisfactions and pleasures that will one day fade away.

Romans 8:18

I will wait for the Lord, my whole being waits and in His word I put my hope.

We can have hope for the future because there are circumstances and events that are worth looking forward to, but we shouldn't let them consume us. We shouldn't allow them to define our happiness and be our only drive to live out each day. I have allowed so many earthly desires to be my motivation for living. I have given in to the deception of thinking possessions, people, a relationship status, etc. would bring me lasting satisfaction. I've fallen for the lies that "If I just had that, then I would be happy."

Hope is not defined in earthly possessions, it is achieved through a steadfast trust in God, knowing He is working for our best even when our life feels at it's worst. We not only can have hope in the life God is working through here on this earth, but we can find an eternal hope in our future home in heaven.

Maybe you are uncertain of your eternal future. Maybe you believe in heaven, but you're not actually convinced you are going there if you die today. In God's Word it states in Romans 10:9 that: "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." Although it's a simple act, it requires a heartfelt belief and a sincere confession. Believing in God isn't just words said, granting you an access ticket into heaven, it involves a personal and long-lasting relationship with Him. As Christians we weren't promised an easy life, we were promised that it would be worth the struggle we face here when we arrive into our heavenly home. Not everyone has that hope for a future in heaven. Although we all will have eternal life, not everyone will be blessed with living in heaven with God one day. It requires belief and a need for a Savior. If you confess that you need a Savior to forgive your sins, truly believe that He came to save you and you desire to have a relationship with Him, you can find hope knowing that eternal glory is awaiting you when you leave this earth. I admit that some days that is all that I am able to find my hope in.

The hopes of this world just don't seem to satisfy the emptiness that follows being let down with the ever-changing pleasures I desire. When I place my hope in the temporary desires of this world, I am left craving for something secure. Something that won't fade with time. Something that won't let me down. That can only be found in Christ. He's the one thing that will never change. His love will always remain the same for me no matter how bad I mess up or how old I get. He promises to always provide exactly what I need. He will never abandon or forsake me. He understands the deep aches that I tuck deep inside. He accepts me and values my worth. You can have hope knowing that if you've accepted Christ as your Savior you will be awaited by a loving Father, accepting you in and desiring to spend time with you for eternity. How amazing will that be? Knowing the God of the universe loves us and we will have the opportunity to live in paradise with Him forever. No more pain. No more insecurity. No more rejection. No more discouragement. No more stress.

Romans 8:32

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

So as our heavenly Father awaits our arrival, we can have a hope knowing that our current struggles are achieving us eternal glory that will be revealed in time. God is using this time, whether a dark storm or foggy future, to strengthen our character and draw us closer to Him. No pain is worthless. No struggle is unseen. Every circumstance we encounter is being used for eternal purpose. Find your hope in knowing that God has everything in place. Nothing is out of order or forgotten. God is never surprised. He's known your future since time began. He's using this for something amazing. Rest in His promises. Remember His character. Find hope in knowing He's got it and is using it for something far beyond anything of this world.