Be Still: 30 Devotions for the Hopeful HeartSample

Not the World’s Hope

But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. ISAIAH 40:31 NIV

Have you ever heard someone say, “I really hope it works out!” or maybe, “I hope everything ends up okay”? While neither statement is negative, this connotation of hope can be extremely fickle. Here, the word “hope” is used as a positive expression—a wishful desire that may or may not come true.

However, biblical hope? The kind that stems from a “hopeful heart” is a hope of confident expectation. The desire is present, but the outcome is also secure. When we “hope in God,” we are expressing in absolute certainty our belief that we know He will deliver. We are not wondering and wishing God to show up; we are sure He will make Himself known. It is not positivity, “good vibes,” or a wish list; it is a firm stance that determines how we will or will not move forward in a situation. It is hope placed on the One in control versus hope placed in the outcome of our circumstances.

We know very little, see only a smidgen, and have no inclination of what is to come. But our God is everywhere at all times; He is all-powerful, and He knows all things. A hopeful heart is one that is anchored in the true character of God. Hopeful hearts believe God to be who He says He is; they do not waver based on the ebb and flow of what we experience on this earth.

When we hope in God, we are choosing a different way. His way is supernatural, finding renewal when depletion feels imminent. His way allows us to run our race and not worry about the race of others. His way provides us with the divine direction and energy we need to live the abundant life He has called us to. Let us be a people who live in expectation and anticipation of what our God is doing and how He is moving. Let us be a people who do not flake out at the first mention of unforeseen circumstances or who fear the future.

Let us hope like Jesus and show the world what it means to be loved by God.

Dear Jesus, thank You that Your hope is not one that diminishes or discourages us. Your hope is always present because You are always present and You are our hope. Show us how to cling to Your hope. Let us look different than the world. In Jesus’s name, amen.