Hope, a Complex Emotion

Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.

Psalm 42:5

It is almost a universal tradition. It seems that we all feel compelled to make a wish before blowing out the candles on our birthday cake. This birthday wishing is a lot like some of my hoping--like hoping for a sunny day for a picnic or a soccer game win for my grandchild. In fact, I even discovered an example of this type of wishful hoping in scripture. King Herod expressed it when Jesus stood before him. Luke wrote that “he (King Herod) hoped to see Him perform a sign of some sort” (Luke 23:8).

I felt conviction when I realized this wishful hoping had even played an active role in some of my own prayers. So, I decided to take a deeper look at this multifaceted emotion.

Scripture refers to Jesus as my Living Hope because of my relationship with the living Savior, Jesus Christ. Because of this relationship, I can embrace hope for my eternal life with Him. Peter wrote, Praise be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3).

When I trust God for his mercy and grace, I live out an Expectant Hope. I cling to this hope for issues of my heart, of my spirit and even for my specific needs. The psalmists often wrote of this type of hope. Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God (Ps. 42:5).

The variety of hope that will always amaze me is Redemptive Hope. When I trust God’s ability to redeem all things for His glory, including the hardships in my life, I experience hope in God’s endless creativity. Redemptive hope directs my faith to the promise of Romans 8:28. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Father, continue to teach me about hoping in You, Your promises, Your power, Your love, and Your care. Reveal to me when I am simply wishing rather than confidently hoping that Your perfect will to be done here on earth, just as it is in heaven. Mature my longings to match Your own desires for my life. In Your Son’s name I pray, Amen.

Linda Lesniewski