Hope, It's a Faith Thing

Can you look at tomorrow with confidence? With expectancy?

'Hope,' it's such a beautiful thing. It stirs up expectancy within our hearts. It gives our hearts courage to push through today until the light of tomorrow dawns.

In American Sign Language the sign for hope is as if you are 'taking a thought and looking for it in the future.'  

So what happens when the future becomes cloudy? The Apostle Peter puts it like this:

Blessed be the G-D and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory (1 Pe 1:3,6-8 italics mine).

Beth Moore sums it up like this:

"A heart pumping love for G-D--that's what compels us to endure when a time of testing nearly kills us. That's what makes us get back up. That's what keeps us in it when we want to quit." (Audacious, 2015)

Perception (inner knowing) is the means of faith, which is the path to the Kingdom of Heaven being made visible on the earth. Our hearts have to know G-D and His ways--to have faith in Him. Clear inner vision is required to see the path of faith into the Kingdom.

How do we have clear vision? Spend time with G-D. Get to know Him intimately, by His Word, and by His Spirit. The Holy Bible is G-D's inspired word (2 Tim 3:16), and the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth who leads us in truth (Jn 16:13).

Ask G-D to reveal Himself to you. He will (Jn 17:25-26). He loves you (Jn 3:16), and desires to have a friendship with you (Jn 15:15). Not a casual Facebook friendship, but one that endures the test of time (Mt 28:20). A friendship built out of companionship, through good times and bad.

You are going to have to leave your opinions behind. Followers of Jesus live by faith and not by what we see or don't see happening around us (2 Co 5:7). Just exist in the moment, knowing that G-D is good (Mk 10:18), and all He does is good (Ro 8:28). Don't have faith in your expectations. Have faith in G-D. What does this mean? Have faith in who He is, not what you expect Him to do (though what He has done is evidence of who He is ).

For example:
     Your finances are in crisis. You need a miracle from G-D or else you may lose your home, or your power will be cut off, or creditors will plague you with phone calls, etc. Hope comes from knowing that G-D is our Provider (Mt 6:8, 32). He is merciful and forgiving (1Jn 1:9) towards our ignorance or neglect of finances, and He is generous (1Tim 6:17). If we place our faith in 'G-D will _____' then we will be let down, because G-D rarely works according to our imaginations. His ways are far above our ways (Is 55:8-9), and we are not able to understand them. However, G-D will work things out---and for our good (Ro 8:28). We can expect that He loves us (Ro 5:8), has a good plan for our lives (Jer 29:11), and is working on the bigger picture, not just on this one moment in time.

So rest in the knowledge of G-D's love for you. Place your hope--your expectations--in Him. He cares for you. Wait patiently for Him to move on your behalf, and trust that even when things don't go as we desire, He is still in control, and will bring about good in your life.

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life (Prov 13:12).

Hold on. The answer is on its way!