Faith, hope, and love are important and distinctive characteristics of a Christian’s life. But what exactly is this divine hope that God provides for His people? Why does godly hope hold such power in difficult circumstances for so many people? How does the hope promised in the Bible differ from common, everyday thoughts of hope? Modern English grammar lessons distinguish between waiting, expecting, and hoping. Generally, waiting is how we spend our time until what we hope for or expect happens. Waiting is mostly physical. Expecting means that you are confident that something will happen. Expecting is mostly intellectual and rational. Hope means that you want something good to happen. Hope is primarily emotional. We can expect good or bad things to happen with more or less confidence, but hope is always directed toward a better future regardless of the likelihood.
Hope is a desire for a favorable change in our circumstances. “I hope I win the lottery.” “I hope I get that new job.” “I hope to lose ten pounds.” “I hope the doctor has good news.” But hope without a rational expectation leads to disappointment. Some suggest that the key to happiness is to live without any expectations. They say, “avoid expectations to avoid disappointments.” But life without expecting a good future can become a life of despair. Where can we find a combination of hope and expectation to guarantee us a great future without disappointing us? The Bible promises that Christ the Lord is both the object and the source of a believer's godly hope regardless of how gloomy their present circumstances may be.
In the Old Testament, waiting and hoping in the Lord are common prayers. “And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.” (Psalm 39, all ESV) “I will wait for the Lord … and I will hope in Him.” (Isaiah 8) “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I hope.” (Psalm 130) Even in terrible circumstances, this godly hope looks toward God for grace, joy, courage, and strength. “The hope of the righteous brings joy.” (Proverbs 10) “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.” (Lamentations 3) “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 31)
In the New Testament, we have an even clearer view of the “hope of the Gospel” (Colossians 1). We expect God to fulfill all the promises of our restoration in a new heaven and a new earth. “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2) “For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe.” (Timothy 4) Those whose “faith and hope are in God” (1 Peter 1) confidently expect, patiently hope for, and faithfully wait for their glorious future. Christian hope trusts Jesus for both the near future and an eternal future. This divine hope anticipates that God will fulfill all His promises to His people in His time and in a way that works all things together for our good. (Romans 8)
Is this godly hope emotional? Absolutely. Is this divine hope intellectual and rational? Of course. Throughout history God’s people have relied on godly hope to sustain them in seemingly crushing circumstances. We are not facing struggles and temptations more difficult than others have faced. And God has not changed. He will never leave us and He has promised to strengthen us to be victorious conquerors until we reach heaven with Him. While we may dislike the waiting, we can rest confidently in a godly hope with the expectation of a glorious future beyond what we can ask or imagine.