Hope

If I asked you for the definition of the word hope, what would you say?

The dictionary defines this word as “a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen”.

But what is hope?

In my mind, it’s the belief that things will get better, no matter how bad they are now. Pop duo For King and Country summed it up well in a clever acronym: Hold On, Pain Ends. When someone is described as “hopeful” it means they believe they can succeed despite the forces working against them.

The funny thing is, hope is the one feeling that does not rely on circumstances. You can study for ten hours on a test and then hope to get 100%, or you can not study at all and still hope to get a perfect score. Hope is something you can feel no matter what situation you’re in.

Hope is the belief that better things will come, regardless of how it looks right now.

Everyone in the world hopes for something, no matter their walk of life. Whether they’re poor or rich, young or old, there’s always something to hope for.

What happens when we lose hope?

Sometimes the world gets especially dark. Depression, the loss of a loved one, or a financial crisis may contribute to a loss of hope. If you’ve ever experienced hopelessness, you know it’s the worst feeling in the world.

Experiencing this should give us all the more reason to help those around us who don’t know Jesus.

Because it isn’t the horror of hell that makes it hell. It’s the lack of hope.

As dark as the earth is, with countless wars, shootings, uprisings, and deaths, there is one thing we still have. Hope.

Hope keeps the world running. Without it, there would be no joy, no sparks of happiness. Hell is a place without laws, without light, and without hope. That is what makes it truly hell.

Without hope, what are we?

When we lose hope, we fall into a sad and dark place. A lack of hope messes with you mentally, physically, and especially emotionally.

Sometimes a lack of hope stems from apathy or indifference. When you lose hope in people, situations, or God, there’s a good chance you’ve become apathetic. Odds are, you’ve lost your belief in God and yourself.

Christian rapper NF has some powerful words about the topic in the lead-off song of his album sharing the name of this post. The message behind the song is one we could all keep in mind.

If you don’t believe in yourself, why should anyone else believe in you?

If you don’t believe in your capabilities as a ________ (writer / athlete / teacher / friend / parent, etc.) why should anyone else? If you don’t even believe you can do it, what reason should anybody else have?

Where do we get our hope from?

Hope isn’t something you can find lying on the sidewalk. For Christians, hope is found in what Jesus did for us. We know, as hurting and damaged as this world is, that one day Jesus will come back.

Yes, the days are dark, and it looks like the devil is winning. But we have hope – in fact, we know – that in the end, Jesus will come back. He will reclaim the earth. This is what keeps us going through the hardest times.

As Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) says, “For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.” Jesus didn’t leave us to be in pain and suffer until He returned.

When Jesus died on the cross, he secured us not only a FUTURE but a HOPE as well.

As we go through the Christmas season, and celebrate His birth, this truth should be all the more prevalent in our lives.

Personally, remembering what Jesus did for me often helps me get through the most difficult times. Is it easy? NOOO. Looking at the world around me only makes me realize how hard it is. But I’m not supposed to be looking to my left and right. That’s not where my hope comes from.

I’m supposed to be looking up – just like the wise men.