Defining Hope

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Defining Hope

²⁴ “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“Therefore I hope in Him!”

²⁵ The Lord is good to those who wait for Him,
To the soul who seeks Him.
²⁶ It is good that one should hope and wait quietly
For the salvation of the Lord.

(Lamentations 3:24-26)

Hope (/hōp/)

Confident expectation in the Lord. Having a quiet confidence that the Lord will answer, that He will rescue; The very acceptance of God’s will and perfect timing. The understanding that perfect timing means without blemish, right on time, never too early, never too late. The ability to have a heart that is willing to wait, quietly and still, because of the confidence we have in God, in His ability to go to battle for you, to take care of you, and to do what is best for you. Hope is the ability to walk through the Valley of the Shadow of Death and yet fear no evil, but to feel comforted and still because of the guiding hand of God, amidst a raging war. Having peace and quiet confidence in the midst of strife simply because of the very presence of God, having a confidence in His power and strength.

Hope is not something that comes without strife, struggle, and pain. Hope is not something that flourishes in times of peace. Hope is something that grows from the depths of our broken souls, something that flourishes ten-fold in the midst of uncertainty, in the midst of fear and helplessness. Hope is something that pours from our very souls when we find ourselves boxed in on all sides. When the only words we are able to utter are To whom else shall we go Lord? Thou hast the words of eternal life. (Jn 6:68) Hope is not fleeting. It is something that once found, will never disappear. Hope is the very character of God poured into our hearts to teach us that this world and the tragedies it presents is nothing in comparison to the perfection that awaits us. He is our all-sufficient God, the One in whom we can trust. The One in whom we can place our quiet and full confidence.

.:La Chula:.