Building Better Hope

The Bible talks a lot about hope. In fact, it's on the list of the three things that abide (1 Cor 13:13). It's mentioned over 150 times, ranging from "I hope to see you soon" (3 John 1:14) to "our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13). Now, certainly you can see a difference between those two. One is a wish with expectation and the other is a certainty waiting to be realized. Thus, hope has grades. So how do we build a better hope?

One factor, of course, is the basis of the hope. When our hope is in our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thess 1:3), you can be sure of a more certain hope. Because of Him we have "a better hope" (Heb 7:19). So when we hope for things that are unsure -- based on the vagaries of events and other people -- we will have a wishful hope, but when it is on a sure thing, we have a more certain hope.

There is a biblical way we can arrive at a hope that "does not disappoint" (Rom 5:5). Paul writes,

We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Rom 5:3-5)

Sufferings produce endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. Easy, right? I remember hearing a fellow who said, "I want to go to heaven; I just don't want to have to die to do it." This one sounds similar. We want hope and this is a hope that doesn't let us down, but do we have to suffer to get it? Paul says we do. So does James (James 1:2-4). Godly character is the product of trials that produce patience. The upside is that this produces hope.

How? How does this produce hope? Apparently it is the product of God's love having been poured into our hearts through the Spirit (Rom 3:5). It is the certain realization -- making what we weren't sure was real to be absolutely real -- that God's love for us is absolutely sure in the midst of trials (Rom 8:35-39). It's the undergoing of "this light mementary affliction" (2 Cor 4:17) and seeing God's hand sustain us that produces character that produces unswerving hope.

Most people use the word "hope" in a wishful sense. "We hope to come and visit this summer." Maybe; maybe not. "I hope to get a promotion and a raise." Maybe; maybe not. These are fine and normal and even suitable. But we have a better hope. it is based on the certainty of God's love. It is built through the fires of trials and tribulations. It is shaped by patience and looks like character. And it does not disappoint. A better hope.