Exploring Hope in Scripture

Hope in Scripture is based in God’s character rather than our circumstances

More often than I’d like to admit, I discover that I’ve put my hope in something can’t sustain it. 

A few years ago, I was looking for a new job, and, during my search, a job that seemed tailor-made for me popped to the top of my LinkedIn search. I was excited and quickly pulled together a customized cover letter and resume that highlighted my most pertinent experience and applied. In a couple of weeks time, I’d moved along to a phone interview. 

Everything went well, and the hiring manager said they’d be in touch soon. But, then, everything went silent. I made a point to check in, to express that I was still interested and ready to move forward to the next step, but each message was met with silence. 

Eventually, it became clear that they had moved forward with someone else. I received the standard rejection email about five months after that phone interview. I knew it was coming, but the finality of it stung. 

I was a little brokenhearted. I’d put so much of my hope for the future in getting that job, and the door was firmly closed in my face. 

I’d put my hope — and in some ways my value, my plans and my sense of worth — in getting that job, and I didn’t get it. I’d put my hope in something fleeting and temporary when God invites us to put our hope in him alone. 

That job was temporary; God is eternal. 

My hope was based on circumstances; hope in God is based on his flawless, unchanging character. 

We’re all guilty of putting our hope in other people and other things, but the only lasting hope we’ll experience is the hope we find in God. 

Exploring Hope in Scripture

Scripture reveals some important truths about the hope we find in God. Let’s explore a few of them. 

God is the source of our hope. 

We may look for hope in external circumstances, but lasting, eternal hope is found only in God. It’s rooted in his unchanging character and his merciful, loving nature. 

• Romans 15:13

• Psalm 42:11

Our hope is anchored in God’s faithfulness and promises. 

We can place our hope in a lot of things: a job, a person, an election, the outcome of a medical test. But if you’ve ever done that, like me you’ve learned that these things are pretty unreliable when it comes to providing lasting hope. 

But God is different. He keeps his promises (Heb. 10:23). He is faithful when we are faithless (2 Tim. 2:13). Great is his faithfulness (Lam. 3:22-23)! Your hope can rise and grow when you remember how God has acted in the past and look forward to what he will do in the future. 

Hope in God sustains us. 

As believers and followers of Christ, we were never promised problem-free lives. Actually, if someone told you that about becoming a Christian, they obviously haven’t read much of the Bible because Jesus promises us that we will face trouble (John 16:33) and that the world will hate his followers because it hated him first (John 15:18). 

Clearly, we will face trials, difficulty and grief, but hope that’s rooted in God is what sustains us during those difficult seasons. The hope of God can coexist with grief, doubt and disappointment. Rather than wiping away or excusing us from all pain, godly hope holds us steady in trying times — and that hope does not disappoint (Rom. 5:5) 

Hope in God isn’t passive. 

Relying on God rather than ourselves is a choice. I’ve relied on my own strength and capabilities plenty of times, but the reality is, while those things may garner me a phone interview, they aren’t everlasting. I get tired, I have to learn new skills and tactics all the time, and, as much as I don’t like to admit it, I don’t know or understand everything. 

But God does. And when our confidence is in him — in his character, faithfulness and power rather than our own — that’s when we experience lasting hope. 

Today, let’s lift our eyes from our circumstances and find our hope in God alone!