“God, the source of hope, will fill you with all joy and peace.” Romans 15:13 TEV
“What often masquerades as hope can be a cruel impostor.”
My thoughts today are about a “heart of hope.”
Life without hope is, well, hopeless! “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true, there is life and joy.” Proverbs 13:12 NLT. I think we can all agree with that. One’s heart needs hope to move forward, anticipating good. Here’s the problem: what often masquerades as hope can be a cruel impostor. The word, “hope,” is generally misused, meaning far less than it does and much weaker than it is. Frequently, a person thinks they are hoping for good when wishful thinking describes better the person’s mental and emotional posture. Often, what people express as hope merely insinuates an outcome they really do not expect will happen, but wish that it would. That is definitely not the picture of hope as used in the Bible about matters of faith.
Life does not always happen as you planned, nor when you expected. Exactly when things do not happen as you were expecting, hope is what you will need to have. Hope, as used in the New Testament, means “a favorable and confident expectation.” Hope stands poised for the future, not relying on past or present experiences for reassurance. You may not know how or when a desired outcome will occur, but your hope must rest peacefully in God’s faithfulness and wisdom on your behalf, more than on any particular outcome you desire.
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:19-20 NIV. Real hope anchors content within the will and wisdom of God, having both strong anticipation and enduring patience. Picture hope as leaning into the future with eyes fixed more upon the horizon than the moment. “O Lord . . no one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame.” Psalm 25:3 NIV.
You cannot conjure up hope by tenacious determination, nor is it as delicate and fragile as some would presume. It is helpful to know the source from which hope comes. “God, the source of hope, will fill you with all joy and peace by means of your faith in Him, so that your hope will continue to grow by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13 TEV. God is the Source of real hope that is unshakable and unassuming. How does He accomplish that? “By means of your faith in Him . . by the power of the Holy Spirit.” See Psalm 62:5-8 NIV. You will know your hope is in God when your heart is filled with joy and peace.
My prayer for you today is: establish your hope on God’s Word and character.