Hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts
through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 5:5 (NASB)
Hope; such a delicate balance between joyful anticipation and heartfelt disappointment. Human hope is merely wishful thinking. It is the desire to see an outcome that may or may not be fulfilled. When hope disappoints, its consequences can be devastating.
Spiritual hope is not based on a possibility but on the person of Jesus Christ. It is founded on the unchanging character of God. While earthly hope may let us down, the hope we have in Christ never disappoints. It braces us up to carry on, resting in the expectancy that God will use our current reality for His divine purpose.
Hope understands there is so much more to life than the physical eye can perceive. Christian hope bridges the gap between what we don’t understand – our current situation – and what we know about God; His goodness, His kindness, and His love. His intent is not to hurt us but to give us a future that is far better than our limited human perception. While our hopes and dreams resemble stick figures, He’s working on a Mona Lisa.
Thought: “Hope is not defined by the absence of hardship. Rather, hope is found in God’s grace in the midst of hardship. Hope is found in his promise to give us a future.” ― Stuart Scott
For further reading:
- Romans 8:24-25
- Romans 15:13-14
- Colossians 1:5
- 1 Peter 3:15