The Focus of Hope by Naomi Fata published in the Hudson River Sampler October 2013
Have you ever found yourself saying that a situation is hopeless, that it will never change? We all hope for something. Some hope for a child. Some hope for a better job or an end to financial woes. Some hope for a lasting relationship. No matter what we hope for, discouragement closes in when it does not come to pass. A crushed hope pains the heart. Even the wise proverb says that a disappointed hope makes a heart sick (Proverbs 13:12).
When we hope in a circumstance or in our desired outcome frustration may be a sure result. It could be even the little things like hoping there is no traffic on the way to work, or hoping we find the perfect outfit for a special occasion or hoping that no one calls in sick at the office. The outcome of our hopes affects the mood of each day.
Hope has to do with the focus of our gaze. While our gaze is on the circumstance we are destined for disappointment because not all of our hopes will come to pass, and certainly they will not occur on our time schedule. But when our focus is shifted to hope in God who is able to fulfill our desires we are placing confidence is someone above our natural situation. Hope in God is confidence in His character that never changes. He sees before and behind; the future and the past.
Whether it is just hoping for a good day or hoping for a miracle in an area of your life God is there. When you get disheartened, when life drags you down, when your dreams don’t come to pass, hope in God. Even when the outcome doesn’t look the way we planned, as we put our hope in Him He works behind the scenes.
To hope in God might seem like a platitude. What does it really mean? Perhaps it has to do with a heart that chooses to trust; a heart that is resting in Him. Choose hope. Choose trust, believing He knows every moment of our lives.
Even this past month I have been struggling with this concept of hoping in God. I want Him to be the focus of my hope but often what I really am hoping for is the outcome I desire. Even recently I submitted my book proposal to yet another publisher, it is easy to hope that they will accept, but to hope in God would me I have to be focused on Him….to believe from my heart that He already has planned who will publish, He already knows the path He laid out for me, it may or may not be this one.
After I wrote this article for the paper I really questioned “What does it mean to hope in God?” “Do I hope in God or do I place my hope in situations?” I could only ask God to open my heart and teach me through the work of His Spirit.
Feel free to share your thoughts. Do you hope in God?
- Mask Waiver - April 2, 2020
- Volunteer Application - March 24, 2020
- Lord Are You Willing? - October 3, 2019