How many times a day do you hope for something? We all hope: I hope I will get the job of my dreams. I hope I will own a nice house. I hope my child will sleep through the night. Think about it; we hope even in the small things of life: I hope my meal is tasty.
The dictionary defines hope as ‘to believe, to desire and to trust. It is to look forward to something with confidence that it will come to pass.’ It is brilliant to hope. It is great to dream. It is fantastic to record scriptures, words, prophecies and dreams from God. We place our confidence in God that what He has said will come to pass.
Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.
Psalm 31:24 NIV
Why does the Bible tell us to be strong and take heart when we hope?
The Hebrew word for hope means ‘to wait, to be patient, be pained, stay, tarry, trust.’
Waiting! That was not as explicit in our initial definition of ‘hope’. Who likes waiting? Not many of us like to wait. You only have to watch traffic lights turn red to know this is true. You don’t see too many people excited when they are forced to stop. We don’t want anyone, or anything, to hinder us from going where we have determined to go. We want to go in our time and without losing any speed along the way.
David knew placing our hope in God sometimes involves waiting.
I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in His Word I put my hope.
Psalm 130:5 NIV
He learnt the value of waiting on God. He encourages us in our waiting.
So often in our waiting, we can allow doubts, distractions and insecurities to take our attention. Before we know it we have drifted off on a tangent and have lost sight of where we were heading in the first place.
We need to actively engage with God’s Word and allow Him to strengthen our hearts. Reading scripture allows God to speak to our hearts, and refuel our faith and trust in Him. Meditating on the Word develops an unwavering trust in Him which becomes an anchor during the wait.
Let His Word shape your thoughts and emotions in the waiting
I choose to place my security in Him and stand firm in the knowledge that He is my Father and can be trusted to bring to pass all that He said He will and more. He can be trusted.
But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord; I will wait for God my Saviour; my God will hear me
Micah 7:7 NIV
I am going to allow God to strengthen my heart. I am determined to tell my heart (my mind, my will, my thoughts and emotions) to be strong, to be alert and to be courageous.
Next time trouble comes against you and your dreams, be strong. Allow your heart to be strengthened by God. Read His Word, and make His thoughts your thoughts. Keep your hope in Him and in His unfailing love. Keep expecting, hoping and waiting on God. Keep close to Him.
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
Lamentations 3:25-26 NIV
So, the next time trouble arises and your dreams seem delayed, choose to:
- Be strong: Choose to trust Him in the waiting. Remember you are looking forward to something with confidence that it will come to pass
- Read His Word: Allow scripture to renew your hope and dependence on Him.
- Keep expecting, hoping, and waiting on God: Trust in His timing.
- Stay close to Him: Pray and deepen your intimacy with Him in the waiting.
Embrace the wait. It is a faithful companion to hope, not its enemy. He is longing for deeper intimacy with you.
We wait in hope for the Lord; He is our help and our shield. In Him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in His holy name. May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.
Psalms 33:20-22
Even youths will grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on winds like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:30-31
His eyes are on you. You can trust Him to do what He said He will do. Keep your eyes on Him. As you do, hope will emerge even stronger in the waiting.
