Hoping for Hope

Today I left work in the light for the first time in months.  It was such a wonderful feeling.  I felt warmed by the sun and cheered up by the light.  I remembered that spring would conquer winter and that those glorious summer days with long, relaxed evenings would return.  While we’ve probably got plenty of cold, damp days ahead before we get to enjoy spring and summer properly, I love the reminder of the beauty that is to come.

I’m not really a “summer” person to be honest – I love so many things about each and every season, and actually snuggling up in the winter is one of my favourite things to do.  But after a few months of cold, I definitely start to feel excited about the return of the warm weather. 

Part of me is excited because I’m thinking about the things I’ll get to do as the days get longer.  I will be able to start walking home along my tow path again.  When we get home from work, we can fire up the BBQ and eat outside.  Going for a run in the evening will become almost pleasant again.  I can start wearing my flip flops and give up closed shoes for a few months.

But mainly I’m excited because of the simple feeling of hope that fills me on days like this.  The warmth seems to reach into my soul and remind me more strongly of the beauty of God’s creation, and of His ability to work miracles.  It seems to say, “If God can create sunshine, warmth and beauty out of cold winter, what other wonderful things can He do”.  I know in my head that God creates wonder from disaster.  I’ve seen it happen.  I’ve read it in the Bible.  Jesus’ death and wonderful return shows more clearly than anything else that God has given us real hope.  The promise of a life with God gives us hope.  Romans 8:28 says it: “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”  And on days like today, I believe it.

It seems to me that an important component of hope is trust.  It is when we trust God that we are able to hope.  Because I trust that God loves me, I can trust that He has wonderful things planned for me.  And so I hope.  I hope that His plans for me will become clear.  I hope that He will protect me and keep me safe.  I hope that He will give me things to be joyful about.  (If I’m honest, I also hope that He will give me the things I want in life, and that He will make things easy for me.  But I think I hope for those things in a different way.  There is a difference between hoping for things that may or may not happen, that we haven’t been promised or simply want (i.e. hoping without any expectation), vs hoping for the things that God has promised us if we are true to Him.)

I trust my husband.  I trust that he will look after me, that he loves me, that he wouldn’t do anything on purpose to upset me or hurt me.  But part of trusting him is also remembering not to trust that he won’t do something if he hasn’t said that he won’t do it (if that makes sense).  For example, I don’t like being tickled.  But unless he’s told me he won’t tickle me, I can’t trust that he won’t… mainly because he often does… because he seems to think I don’t mind it.

God however gives us ample reason to trust Him with our hope.  The Bible is crammed full of promises from God that we can trust Him, and that it is safe, and indeed right, to hope in Him.  He gives us examples of people who have trusted Him.  Think about Noah – he trusted God, and it was totally worth it, in a really big way.  Esther risked her life to do what God wanted, and the result was pretty important.

We know that God is consistent and unfailing.  We know that if He has shown to us in the past that we can trust Him, then we can still trust Him now.  Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  We also know that God has got it covered – Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, “’For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’”  We’re not an afterthought, or people He will protect and save if He can be bothered.  God has plans for us.  Good plans.  So trust Him.

And while you enjoy the feeling of the sun on your face again, the sight of the snowdrops jumping up and the garden returning to life, abandon your worries and your fears.  Let go of the things that hold you back and stop you hoping.  Turn to face God, tell Him you trust Him, and give the control to Him.  Let Him show you what can be achieved when you hope in Him.

This time, I’ll leave you with a (very strong) suggestion in the form of Psalm 37:5 and a prayer in the form of Romans 13:15…

Commit everything you do to the Lord.  Trust him, and he will help you.

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.