HOPE
Hope – I believe this is one of the most commonly used yet most misunderstood words today. It’s something we use everyday, all the time “I hope she passes” “I hope he attends” blah blah but what does the word HOPE really mean? According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, to hope is to desire with EXPECTATION of obtainment or fulfillment, to EXPECT with CONFIDENCE. It’s quite ironic when half the time we use this word, we use it because of uncertainty, doubt, “I hope she passes because I know she didn’t study hard enough”. More often than not, there’s a lingering doubt behind every “I hope” which is quite a shame as regards what it really mean.
So what does it mean to truly hope? Like the definition says, to hope is to expect with confidence, to anticipate something without any form of doubt of its arrival. You see, faith and hope go hand in hand, whatever/whoever you have faith in, inspires hope in you. If the richest man in the world is my friend and asks for my account, my hope would be through the roof and I would expect any message on my phone to be a credit alert and rightfully so knowing his capacity, not out of doubt but hope, expectant that he’ll come through with his promise.
Imagine a farmer that’s checked the weather forecast already and knows it’s supposed to rain all day, after planting his seeds, he knows all he has to do is hope for the rain and his plants would grow. Having established the fact that hope means expectation with confidence, what does it mean to say my hope is in Jesus. Well it means to trust him with everything knowing he’s able, it means to let him not worry about anything and cast all my cares on him because he cares for me. Not because I deserve it or because he owes me but because he cares for me. To have Jesus has my hope is to expect he provides everything I need. If our hearts are like gardens, then hope is the seed we plant, planting our dreams and desires hoping they’ll grow. Even in the festive season, it’s not enough to just celebrate, but remain hopeful, one who is hopeful is eagerly expectant, doesn’t leave things to chances but entrusts them to someone he knows he’s able. Even as you prepare to end this year, ask yourself if your hope is truly in Jesus for the next.
Remember, you are never alone.