When the eye of the storm was forecast to hit right over the homes of family, and friends we hoped for a different outcome. When the our kids went to school we hoped they would behave and learn their lessons. When a loved one got a medical test done because of a suspicious growth we hoped for the best.
But in all these things where is the focus of our hope?
How do you hope in Jesus?
Is this the type of hope the Bible talks about?
Webster’s definition of hope is ‘to desire with expectation of obtainment or fulfillment’ or to expect with confidence
But according to Strong’s Concordance many references to hope use hope as a noun, not a verb, defined as ‘favorable and confident expectation, a forward look with assurance.’
Our assurance and confidence is Jesus! Share on XI Timothy 1:1 refers to Jesus Christ as ‘our hope’. Jesus is our hope because He is the fulfillment of the promise. By His death and resurrection there is victory over the enemy. By His blood we have been made sons and daughters of the Most High.
This hope anchors the soul. It is not a placid hope that says, ‘I hope for the best’. It is solid because Jesus is our rock. Think of a boat tethered to an anchor. It is firm and steadfast. The storms of life may come but the person and promises of Jesus are enough to hold us steady.
Often, we are too busy looking at our expected outcome and what we ‘hope’ for that we forget to set our full attention on our anchor.
Hebrews 6:19-20a (NIV) says,”We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf.”
Don’t judge hope by what you see but by what is promised even if it is unseen. Too often we doubt that God’s promises are for now because we don’t see them. But the truth is that we are living in between. We grasp onto the Kingdom promises though we don’t always see them. But just because we don’t see isn’t a cause to fall into unbelief. He doesn’t promise that we will always see the fulfillment but He does guarantee His promises are true. Look at all the Bible heroes in Hebrews 11. God promised each of them many things. He promised them righteousness in exchange for following what He spoke to them to do. They believed strongly in what God had revealed to them to do and they did it. They had no outward proof that God was making them righteous but they believed that God would keep His promise. “These people all died controlled and sustained by their faith, but not having received the tangible fulfillment of God’s promises, only having seen it and greeted it from a great distance by faith and all the while acknowledging and confessing that they were strangers and temporary residents and exiles upon the earth.’ (Hebrews 11:13 AMP)
Hope requires acting on what is not seen.
For each Bible hero of Hebrews 11 God required them to act even when they didn’t see. Abraham was told to move to an unknown land, Noah was told to build an ark in a land that didn’t have rain, Moses left the privileges of the palace, the Israelites walked around the city of Jericho for seven days. To everyone around them these things must have seemed foolish. But they did them anyway.
Hope wrestles.
It is a strong and powerful force when birthed in the heart of man. Look at the words of apostle Paul in Philippians 3:12 “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.”
This hope needs to be strong and confident beating in our hearts. When we wrestle with the questions of life it doesn’t help to quote a Bible verse that we know only for memory but not from our heart. Hope gets to our heart as we look to Jesus, believing His Word, saying “Lord even though I don’t see I believe. I believe that all your promises are yes and amen.”
Don’t let yourself be rocked b the circumstances of life, inside put down your anchor in the promises of God.
Life Coach Moment
What are you hoping for right now?
What circumstance of your life is troubling you?
How are you praying about it?
Ask God what He would like you to pray over the situation and to confirm it to you with words of Scripture.
Be confident that this is how He asked you to pray and pray with faith thanking Him in advance for answering according to His will.
Renew Your mind in Truth.
Meditate on Hebrews 6:19-20
We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.
Pray that God would fill your heart with understanding of this hope that anchors your soul.
Self-Talk Point
I will put my hope in Jesus, my anchor, even when I can’t see the outcome.
Other articles on hope
How to Hope when Life is the Pits
3 Questions that Block our Hope of Change
This post may be a part of several linkups
- Mask Waiver - April 2, 2020
- Volunteer Application - March 24, 2020
- Lord Are You Willing? - October 3, 2019
Yes, yes, YES! To all this! It is so important to properly place our hope, otherwise this life will rip us to shreds! Thanks for sharing! I’ll be pondering your coaching questions today! Blessings!
Oh, love this Naomi. My blog title/theme is hope. Powerful post and this particularly resonated with me, “Often, we are too busy looking at our expected outcome and what we ‘hope’ for that we forget to set our full attention on our anchor.” Amen! Shared on Twitter and followed you there. Visiting from #HeartEncouragement
Karen
Thank you so much for sharing! Blessing to you!
Good post! Looking to Jesus is always the answer! He is definitely where I’ve placed my hope.