Hope

Hope.

Powerful word. In each person’s life, he or she places hope in something. Always.

Maybe it is a new house, a new job or job promotion, a friend, a special relationship, a spouse, a pregnancy, a birth, a family member, a religion, a position, an election, a retirement account, a lottery ticket, in the future, and the list can go on and on. Every person you know, as well as yourself, places hope somewhere every day. Not just every day, but in every moment of the day.

Sometimes you can tell where you have placed your hope when disappointment comes. Especially in those moments when you are very disappointed, upon further investigation, you find that somehow the thing you anticipated had slipped into the object of your hope. Often when this happens, your heart fixes your hope on something subtlety. Therefore, disappointment opens the door for us to peek into our hearts to determine where we have placed our hope.

False Hope that Disappoints

False hope disappoints, discourages, and often leads people to despair. Maybe you have been there. You place your hope on something, and, whatever it is, it fails to bring you what you anticipated. Your hope fails. It slips into disappointment quickly. Your body tells you. Possibly it manifests itself in a sense of your feelings hurt, or heartache, or pain. You may feel cheated, forgotten, neglected, persecuted, achy, injured, dejected, deprived, crushed, betrayed, damaged, or deflated.

Do you recognize you in those terms? You possibly do because we have all experienced this at one time or another.

Why? Often because we placed our hope in something which disappointed.

A missed answer or failed test
A missed opportunity
An angry friend
A broken car, leaky roof, poor investment
An unfaithful friend
An imperfect Christian
A misspoken word
A sarcastic joke
An unfulfilled dream
An accident
________________________________________ (you fill in this blank from your own heart or experience)

Who doesn’t enjoy a right answer, perfect opportunity, happy friend, working car, solid roof, growing investment, faithful friend, and other good things? We all do. We are rightly disappointed at times when things do not turn out as we anticipated.

It is in the midst of disappointment when we must peek through disappointment’s door to seek what we had placed our hope in prior to the disappointment.

For instance, if we are disappointed in an imperfect friend, we experience what we should. An imperfect friend does disappoint. As we peek through it, though, we must ask what it is that disappoints us. Did we place our hope in a perfect friend? Respect? Loyalty? Or, something else? On the other hand, are we disappointed because our imperfect friend sinned? Allowed the flesh, the world, or the devil to influence him or her? Failed to honor God? Proved he or she is a sinner?

Does this make sense to you? When something in life disappoints you, that allows you to explore upon what it was or who it was you placed your hope. You may find that all is well. Of course, you may also find an area of possible growth.

Please do not miss this: You can have true hope even in the midst of disappointment. It is critical to see disappointment not as a sin, but as a door through which you can see where you placed your hope.

True Hope

Let me share three sweet passages with you related to our true hope.

The Lord is our hope.

Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
For our heart shall rejoice in Him,
Because we have trusted in His holy name.
Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us,
Just as we hope in You. (Psalm 33:20-22)

We hope on our Lord. Does that mean you will get everything you want? No. In fact, in this passage it describes “waiting,” “trusting,” and “mercy.” These words imply living through disappointment along the way. However, when we are disappointed, our disappointment does not lead to sin because we truly hope in the Lord in our pressured circumstances.

Sharing in the glory of God

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:1-5)

We hope in the future glory of God. Why? Because Jesus Christ guarantees that His followers will in the future share in the glory of God. When we are disappointed in life, we peek through the door to see what else we notice. When we do, we recognize that although things are not as we would want them, ultimately we anticipate and hope for the future glory of God. As we do, we see God using the disappointments to grow us into His Son’s character. We become like Christ along the way.

Hope along with all creation for future redemption

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. (Romans 8:18-25)

We along with all of creation long for the future glory. In the future, Jesus comes back, ushers in His kingdom, alleviates sin and suffering, and initiates eternity. Each one of us alongside all creation waits for that future deliverance. Oh what a day that will be!

When Disappointed

Again, disappointment is not a sin. Instead, disappointment is a door through which you can peek into your heart to determine the source of the disappointment. As you look, seek to find what it is or where it is or upon whom it is that you have placed your hope. If it is not on Jesus Christ, then repent of misplaced hope. Then, turn to Him. Along with all of creation, long for that future day when all will be righted, suffering will be eliminated, and God’s glory will reign.

True hope is a confident expectation that God is doing something in you and in the world through Jesus Christ. You can depend upon Him.