One Kind of Hope

This week, I have worked harder than ever! If anyone has ever experienced what it is like to insulate a house, they will understand how itchy and annoying it can be. As I take the splinters out of my fingers, I ask- Why would anyone want to do construction? Well, I hope that my boss notices my hard work and dedication. I hope that in the long run, my work ethic will lead me to new and exciting places in the company. I hope that by working hard, I will be able to provide for my family and be knowledgeable enough to use these skills in my own home.  In a weird way, despite the negatives, I actually love it. Now, imagine if my boss came to me and said, “there are no chances for you to ever get promoted at this job; we are under an extremely tight budget and we can only give you enough money for your transportation to get to work and back home.” How do you think I would feel? Do you think I would be happy? Would my hope remain? Even now, as hard as I am working, there is no guarantee… But there is hope. Is hope the fuel that keeps us going? We hope to have cars, money, houses, children, a good job, etc, but ultimately, all of us desire one thing: happiness. I’m here to tell you that true satisfaction cannot be found from anything here on earth; instead, strength is given when we are at our weakest points and it is in the one who gives us strength and the one who should drive our hope, where true happiness is found. Romans 5:2-5 says, “Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we REJOICE IN HOPE of the glory of God. We can see here that hope is what fuels us, but it is not the hope we’re used to. Hope outside of Christ leads to utter disappointment. It seems so common to see celebrities in our society commit suicide. In their mind, the only hope they have to escape is death. They put hope in fame, success, money, and mansions and even after they achieved all of those things, they still do not have the satisfying joy in life we get through Christ. Unfortunately, people can fail us, businesses can fail, relationships can fail, we can lose all of our money and in the end, we are left with a false hope to happiness. God wants so much more for us. He wants us to have hope in Him. Let us be diligent in prayer and content with what God has to say. Be patient. God knows what you need. Romans 8:24-25 says, “for in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Wait for God’s plan of action; He is our only hope. The Biblical definition of hope provides assurance that God will never fail you. He is our anchor; He will never leave you or forsake you. Our hope in Him is as certain as the sun rising in the morning. The Lord delights in those who put their hope in His unfailing love. Let’s start hoping today! Ding on, Nick