Don’t Lose Hope, Let Hope Loose
Psalms 38:15 says, “For in thee, O Lord, do I hope.”
Hope. It is such a beautiful word. The world has taken this world and turned it into a wish or deep longing. “I hope I fall in love. I hope I win the game. I hope I get this new job.”
But hope is not that. Hope is certainty.
You see, faith and hope go hand in hand. Hebrews 11:1 tells us, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith is believing something will happen and believing in something not seen, but hope is the anticipation of how it will happen; what it will be like to see what is unseen now.
Hope keeps a person in a state of excitement.
Someone with hope cannot live a sad, depressed life. Many people in the world today struggle with depression and sadness. It is because they have no hope. You see hope is not a fuzzy feeling.
Hope is a strong confidence in a strong Savior and God.
Romans 12:12 says, “Rejoicing in hope.”
Romans 15:13 tells us, “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 5:2 says, “By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Jeremiah 17:7 says, “Blessed [is] the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.”
Just reading these verses about hope teaches that we have a reason to be excited about life. God does not want us to be depressed or sad, but rather He wants us to be happy and confident hoping in Him. We can have hope in our far future, our tomorrow, and our today because of Jesus.
Hope for the Future
Hope in the far future is one of the greatest gifts of all. So many people fear death and the after life. As Christians, we anticipate the day we get to meet Jesus face to face. Paul tells us in Philippians “to die is gain” (Phil 1:21). How could this be? Because it means that we will be in heaven face to face with The Dearest Friend we have ever had. What a day that will be when we look on the face of the one Who died to save us!! Not only do we have hope in the far future, but we also have hope in the possibility that God could blow His trumpet at any time and we could meet the Lord in the air, (1 Thess 4:17).
The church today may never have to face death and that is reason alone to have a hope and excitement for our future.
Hope for Tomorrow
I would have no hope for tomorrow if I did not have Jesus. I can hope for tomorrow because of Him. Psalms 42:11 says, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”
The next time you began to feel discouraged, think about this verse. Why would I waste time getting down? I can put my hope in God. He is the one who brings true joy.
My joy and happiness is not dictated by what happens from without, but rather by Who is within.
I can wake up ready to serve my Lord. I can do my best in all of my college classes; I can anticipate a relationship that will bring glory to the Lord and a ministry that I can serve in. Why? Because Lamentation 3:24 tells me, “The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore, will I hope in him.”
Even in times when God does not give the answer, we are looking for when we want the answer, we can still hope. “I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.” (Ps 130:5). When the waiting goes on and on, cling to His Word. He knows what is best and He will give you the right answer in His perfect time.
Hope for Today
And finally, I can have hope right now. I love the verse in Psalms 71:14 that says, “But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.” Being in a constant state of hope leads to praising God. He is the Hope. And as I think of the future He has for me and the future He saved me from, I have complete hope and peace right now knowing He is with me and He will never leave me. I get to know Him and I get to live a life with Him. He wants to take each one of us to places we could never dream of.
So, when that next news headline pops up with depressing news, remember Psalms 38:15 “For in thee, O Lord, do I hope.” I read a quote the other day that says, “Hope is seeing light in the darkness.” He is my Light. In this dark world, I want to leap with joy thinking of what He can and wants to do in my life. The Christian life is the most exciting, thrilling, joyful life you can ever live.
Don’t lose hope in your life, but rather let hope loose in your life.
Post written by Bri Dignan
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