Table of Contents:
Introduction
Hope is one of those words with a lot of power because it brings most people out through some of the most demanding situations. But as believers of the Word of God, we must ask ourselves if we know and understand what the Bible teaches us about what hope is. With a proper understanding of what hope is according to the Bible, we can apply that to our lives and allow the Word of God to manifest itself and come alive in our hearts. Only then will we begin to bear and produce fruit in our lives.
In the Old Testament, hope can be expressed as safety, security, trust, refuge, shelter, and waiting. When we see hope used in the New Testament, it is commonly defined as the expectation of good. Hope, when used in scripture, always refers back to the person or power of God. (Unger, 1961, 498) We should put our hope in God and Him alone because He is the only one faithful and capable of doing what He promises. However, some may question where to find scriptures of hope and how to apply them to our lives.
Thankfully, our Lord has gifted us with 24-hour access to His word, and now we have so many tools to look up almost whatever we need at the speed of our thumbs and fingers. Throughout this article, we will explore some powerful scriptures on hope and how to grasp and maintain that hope during some of the most challenging times.
5 Powerful Scriptures on Hope
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11 NIV (Jeremiah 29, n.d.)
It is a great feeling to know that you don’t have to devise a plan to be prosperous and successful. God has already created a plan for your life before the foundation of the earth. He is our hope and our future through the sending of His son Jesus. We now know and have the assurance that if we only seek His will for our lives, we will be prosperous and not harmed.
"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." - Romans 15:13 (Romans 15 | NIV Bible | YouVersion, n.d.)
Whenever we face troubles, trials, and tribulations, this verse assures us that the God of hope will sufficiently fill us with joy and peace beyond understanding. It may not seem right or fair that we suffer and go through things in life that cause mighty despair. However, we must remain mindful that God is always up to something. As He gives us the peace to make it through our situations, He is busy preparing a place for us to enter. We don’t suffer for no reason, and He doesn’t expect us not ever to get tired or weary. He tells us that He will always be there for us and that we can trust that He has our best interests in mind.
"Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." - Psalm 42:11 (Psalms 42 | NIV Bible | YouVersion, n.d.)
Knowing that we will sometimes feel defeated, abused, and used is essential. However, we can never let the enemy get to the point of forgetting who God is. He is faithful to those who are faithful to Him. We just need to remind ourselves of how God saw us through in previous difficult times and how He was faithful to His promise. We can therefore praise His name because He is not a man that He should lie. Our God inhabits the praises of those who call out from their heart. Let’s put our hope in God and watch Him transform our situations.
"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 (Isaiah 40 | NIV Bible | YouVersion, n.d.)
This verse is one of the most valuable scriptures on hope I have used to overcome tough situations. It seems too good to be true, but I can testify that it is true! God knows that we are human and get weak, but like any other parent, He wants us to come to Him with our problems. This is an act of humility and surrenderance on our behalf to our Father, acknowledging that we need Him. He will renew your strength, He will lift you up and allow you to soar. No matter how fast or how long you run, God will see to it that you won’t be exhausted and you won’t faint.
"And hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." - Romans 5:5 (Romans 5 | NIV Bible | YouVersion, n.d.)
We all fall short of the glory of God and because of that fall, the enemy plants seeds of shame and humiliation in our hearts. Let us pluck out the deception in those times and cultivate a place where only truth can thrive. This verse gives us the confidence that God only pours out love through His Spirit in our hearts. The Holy Spirit does convict, but He does not bring one to shame. Allow this verse to be etched in your heart to ensure that you only allow love to be poured in after you experience a spiritual fall.
Finding Hope in Difficult Times
We have just gone over five powerful scriptures on hope. Each one speaks to trusting and relying on God to get us through difficult situations. We must meditate on these verses and make them our reality. There should be a confidence that there are so many examples of God confirming through His word that He is worthy of our hope. He has never forsaken anyone, and He won’t start today with you. He will continue to be the same throughout all generations, and you will be able to tell about His goodness to all those who are willing to hear.
The Ultimate Source of Hope
As we have learned, the question is not about what or where the ultimate source of hope is, but about who is the ultimate source of hope. The creator of life itself is our ultimate source of hope; without Him, there would be no hope. But God is a jealous God, and because of His love and goodness, He doesn’t bless everyone the same way. There is a measure of love and grace He gives to all of us, but there is a special peace He gives to those who humble themselves and seek Him.
God has given us the gift of free will, and a part of His plan is for us to use our free will to come into a covenant relationship with Him. He has a special plan that He will see through for every one of us, but it comes with a price. We must submit ourselves to His will and seek out His plan for us. His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways, so we have to be willing to be still. The more time we spend in His presence, the closer we get to Him.
Spending intimate time with God allows God to transform our minds and renew our hearts indeed. Only then will we be able to experience God as the hope we need when we face various trials. There will be moments when you think that time is going by but God is a redeemer. He is able to transform any moment and allow you time to meet up as if you were never separated. Trust in the process; trust in God.
Conclusion
It is my prayer that you found these scriptures on Hope to be helpful and insightful. None of us can do it on our own and it wasn’t intended for us to be alone. That is what The Spirit Filled Collective is all about. We believe in community, and a part of being in a community is there for one another. If you are still having trouble finding hope, reach out to us for prayer and encouragement by emailing us at info@thespiritfilledcollective.com.
References
Isaiah 40 | NIV Bible | YouVersion. (n.d.). Bible. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://my.bible.com/bible/111/ISA.40.NIV
Jeremiah 29. (n.d.). YouVersion. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://my.bible.com/bible/111/JER.29.NIV
Psalms 42 | NIV Bible | YouVersion. (n.d.). Bible. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://my.bible.com/bible/111/PSA.42.NIV
Romans 15 | NIV Bible | YouVersion. (n.d.). Bible. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://my.bible.com/bible/111/ROM.15.NIV
Romans 5 | NIV Bible | YouVersion. (n.d.). Bible. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://my.bible.com/bible/111/ROM.5.NIV
Unger, M. F. (1961). Unger's Bible Dictionary. Moody Press.