Hope
Hope is to the soul as water is to the body. We will die without both. Like water, you can choose hope.
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” (Lamentations 3:24)
Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew and Greek Words defines hope as: expectation, to expect, thing that I long for, tarry, trust, wait, anticipate, confidence.
You are not alone. You are not forgotten. You are not forsaken. You are not too late. You are not too far gone. God loves you and is calling you to come and rest in his peace. There is a biblical solution to your problem.
No matter what is going on around you or what is happening to you, there is hope. We have hope in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Hope is belief or trust, to wait, expectancy, confidence, faith, or reliance. It is not a wish in the Bible.
“Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast love,” (Psalms 33:18 ESV)
Fear in this context means to honor, respect, and revere.
God sees those who revere Him and trust in His unwavering love.
“O Israel, hope in the LORD! For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is plentiful redemption.” (Psalms 130:7 ESV)
Redemption is deliverance: paying a debt or a ransom in full. Jesus already did that for you.
God’s love never fades. He will save you if you ask him to. See Grace. See Saved.
“Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.” (Psalms 21:34 KJV)
We are made in the image of God.
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” (Genesis 1:27 ESV)
God is eternal.
“The eternal God is your dwelling place. Underneath are the everlasting arms.” (Deuteronomy 33:27 WEBU)
Our bodies are temporary, but our souls live forever. You might not believe it yet, but you are an eternal being, temporarily on Earth. The Bible calls our body a tent.
“For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” (2 Corinthians 5:1 ESV)
God allows hardship in our lives to call us, teach us, shape us, and carry out His plans for us and for the world.
When you know that something very good is coming later, you can put up with a lot of hardship now.
The Bible tells us God sent Jesus to save us from perishing.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only born Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16 WEBU)
That means you have opportunities. One is to go to Heaven when you die and live with God forever.
Another is to be forgiven by God and enter the Kingdom of God today. That doesn’t mean physically dying today; it means you can start today on the path of living in love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and self-control.
“Neither will they say, ‘Look, here!’ or, ‘Look, there!’ for behold, God’s Kingdom is within you.” (Luke 17:21 WEBU)
God is holy. He is pure. He is perfect. He is trustworthy. He is everywhere, he knows everything, and he can do anything. See Holy.
God gave us the Bible to tell us about Himself and how to live a life pleasing to Him.
Boil all of this down to the bottom line.
If you trust God and believe in Jesus, you can be reconciled to God and enter the Kingdom of Heaven today. (See Salvation Plan)
With this assurance and the help God gives, you can withstand anything that comes, knowing it will pass and that, though you may not understand it now, it “works for good.”
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 ESV)
God, the creator of the universe, created you, knows you, knows everything about you, and he loves you.
The Bible teaches of God’s love for you and how to live in this world.
We do not understand everything, but we know everything God does is perfectly planned. He is in control of everything that happens. See God as Judge.
Just as a child trusts her father or mother, we can trust God. We have hope in Him, no matter what happens. That hope brings the fruit of the Spirit.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 WEBU)
When you believe in Jesus, you want to honor him by following his teachings. You have hope, an expectation, of a very bright future. Everything is going to turn out for the best.
Dear God,
I don’t know what I’m doing, except that I’ve been doing it alone and it’s not working. I am afraid. I am hurting. I am on the wrong path.
There are many things I don’t understand or even know about. But I know I need help.
Please help me find my way into your Kingdom. Please help me be reconciled to you and your holiness.
Please open my heart to your message. Please ease my fear and grant me understanding.
And please, oh please, have patience with me as I start down this path. Please hold my hand as I learn to trust and love you.
If I falter, please steady me. Please do not give up on me. Please do not let me go.
I will do my best to follow and please you. If I fall, please pick me up.
Thank you, God, for the hope you give, for loving me, for knowing me, and for calling me.
Amen