Finding and Maintaining Your Hope During Uncertain Times

“Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”

That quote is from Shawshank Redemption, which is one of my absolute favorite movies.

In recent years, circumstances have gotten pretty crazy – maybe not as crazy as being wrongly imprisoned (see: Shawshank Redemption), but it’s been rough.

If I’m being honest, I have often given into fear and dismay around the direction our culture seems to be heading. Whenever this happens, it is always because I’m listening to the news or other “worldly” sources more than I’m tuning into what God is saying to me or to those I trust around me.

In general I would say the church in this hour has not been a beacon of hope and optimism either, so it’s not like if you’re anxious about the state of the world it means you haven’t been going to church enough.

But there are churches (and I’m thankful to be part of one) that refuse to let outer circumstances rob them of their place of influence in the realm of hope. The world cannot comprehend hope in such circumstances, and I believe that’s a huge opportunity for us to be light in the darkness.

God isn’t glorified when we respond how the world responds to things that disturb us. He’s much more glorified when our responses confound the world.

“For it is written: ‘I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.’… Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?”

1 Corinthians 1:19-20

We are not called to worldly wisdom. We are called higher.

A few things to keep in mind when it comes to hope:

• It’s an emotional connection to faith.
• Our faith/hope is always in something unseen, and it is our choice where to put it.
• We are distinct from the world in that we have reason to hope. We know “how it ends.”

I elaborate on each of these points below.

The emotional connection of hope and faith…

Often “faith” and “hope” are used interchangeably. If not lumped together, it seems to me that we sometimes see hope as more flighty or weak than faith. Like faith is somehow solid because we see it as placed in God. Whereas hope is maybe just a desire, and not so solid.

I’m not saying faith is easy, just that we can tend to bank on it a bit more. We agree faith is necessary, and we’ve all been “given a measure of faith” (Rom. 12:3), but hope? Sometimes it’s hard to categorize.

I know for myself, I’ve at times viewed hope as something needing caution because of the Proverb: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick…” (Prov. 13;12).

The rest of the verse reads “…but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.” This would suggest that hope has much to offer us. Perhaps with hope we stand to gain more than we might lose. But for whatever reason the first half is always what stuck with me.

If the first half of the proverb is a warning, the second half is there almost as if to say, “but don’t stop hoping, because when it’s fulfilled it will be worth it.” Think about it:  a sick heart can heal. Let’s not miss out on the life-giving promise of fulfillment out of fear of pain in the waiting.

Yep. Notice it says “deferred.” This suggests that the fulfillment is merely delayed. Why did I always read that like my hope would just disappoint me?

Furthermore, the bible says that “…these three remain: faith, hope, and love…”. Those are the faculties we have here on earth that will live on into eternity. Those three. So it seems like hope is pretty important.

I would distinguish hope from faith by suggesting that hope is an emotional connection to faith. You might call it “optimism.” It goes beyond what we often see as our faith: believing what we’re “supposed to” believe as “believers.”

My faith might convict me to trust that God will work all things I’m going through together for good. My hope might help me believe that in doing so, the outcome will be better than what I can even imagine – that Him working things “for good,” doesn’t mean just “good enough.”

This is not to minimize faith (at all), and I don’t even have a problem with using faith and hope interchangeably. They go hand in hand.

I’m not trying to associate faith with dry adherence to doctrine and hope with believing for more. That’s an oversimplification. There is no hope without faith.

I think we struggle to grasp or value these two related concepts equally because of our own limited understanding. Suffice it to say that God values both distinctly and highly, and it’s ok to stir up your emotions to hope. In fact, I think it’s crucial.

Faith/hope in the unseen…

I won’t pretend I came up with this, but it bears repeating: we are always putting our faith in something unseen, and we get to choose what it is.

If we are walking in Godly faith, we are trusting the near and distant future to His hands. If we aren’t, we’re putting our faith instead in negative outcomes. Both are forward-looking into the unknown future, which we cannot see.

Fear or hope?

Fear is the emotion that comes with this negatively directed faith. It’s almost like the opposite of hope.

Our hearts will likely stir with hope if we really let ourselves believe something positive will happen, or even might happen. Conversely, if we believe something negative will or might happen, fear is probably showing up.

We have a choice where to put our faith, and we can check our hearts for what’s rising up – fear or hope?

Now I don’t want to suggest that we should only expect things that are widely considered “good” to happen to us. Jesus warned us to expect to be hated and persecuted (Matt. 10:22). In fact, He goes so far as to say we should “rejoice and be exceedingly glad.” (Matt. 5:12) when it happens.

But let’s take a moment and recognize that He doesn’t say to fear this treatment. In fact, He’s constantly instructing us not to fear. Ever.

So let’s have faith that when we go through difficult situations, we have everything we need to get through it with joy. Let’s hope in the promised reward and in the miraculous peace that will be available to us in that moment of need.

Preparing for good things

Even if there’s value in our preparing for the possible negative outcomes, I think it’s safe to say that He would like us to spend just as much (and probably more) time preparing for positive outcomes.

God doesn’t ask us to plan for and/or anticipate hypothetical negative outcomes. I believe we should rely on Holy Spirit to prompt us with warnings (possibly through trusted counsel), and not try to take things into our own hands.

What do I mean by preparing? Pray. Declare. Invite people to believe and pray with you. Find scripture with promises to stand on. Remind God of His promises. Go back to prophetic words you’ve received and see if there’s anything to draw from them for the situation.

You might even go so far as to take action steps that will be needed “if” what you’re hoping/believing for comes to pass. For instance, start turning the spare room into a nursery if you’re believing for getting pregnant.

If you actively work to put your faith in the promises of God, and pay more attention to that than the possible “worst case scenarios,” you will see more breakthrough in your life and you will see more clearly how He is at work in all things.

You don’t have to do this on your own. Ask Holy Spirit to remind you. Ask the optimistic, faith-filled Christians in your life to pray for you. It’s ok that it’s a journey.

We know how it ends…

I once listened to a message that I found to be really powerful, talking about how Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego thrived in the abhorrently corrupt culture that was Babylon.

In the message, he used a sports analogy to describe the optimistic, hopeful outlook of Christians. He talked about this major college football game that was torturous to watch. His team was losing, there was a clutch play where it looked like it was truly over, but then somehow, in the final seconds, his team made a miraculous play and came back to win.

He had recorded the game, and at times he has gone back and re-watched it. Sure enough, upon playback, those moments that tortured and angered him before thrilled his heart. He laughed as the other team celebrated when they’re thinking they’ve won. He enjoyed every moment.

What changed?

It’s obvious: he knew how it ended.

I love the Bill Johnson quote: “Any area of my life for which I have no hope is under the influence of a lie.”

The truth is that we know how it ends. Sure, we don’t know the ins and outs along the way. We don’t know how much pain and struggle we’ll have to endure.

But think about Jesus: He endured the cross “…for the joy set before him…” (Heb. 12:2).

It will always be worth the struggle. And if we let Him work in and through us, we will have what it takes to handle whatever comes our way.

He redeems and restores abundantly. Put your faith in that – in His character.

I think that hope is (or should be) a hugely distinguishing quality in Christians. I’ve often heard the phrase “we are not like those who have no hope.” I think it’s loosely taken from 1 Thessalonians 4:13, but even if it’s not technically scripture, I still think it’s true.

Since we know the victory is the Lord’s and we are “more than conquerors,” and we are not struggling “against flesh and blood” but in a spiritual battle that will be overwhelmingly won by our “team,” and we are fully equipped for this warfare because Jesus has “all authority,” and He is living in us, the natural response should be a positive outlook. (More about our authority through Christ in this post).

Hope.

No matter how dark things get, our faith and hope extend into the unseen realm, and this “unnatural” response will shine all the brighter in the darkened world.

And the light will draw many.

To conclude…

I will leave you with this: go watch Shawshank Redemption.

Just kidding (sort of). I mean if you want a good example of how you can be a light in darkness, I do think it’s great for that, but I digress.

The real takeaway here that I want to impart is an encouragement to let yourself hope. Stir up the emotional response to accompany your faith.

Believe in the faithfulness of God. Believe in His provision.

In fact, I would recommend learning the multiple names of God and use them to declare and remind yourself (and “remind” Him) of who He is.

You have a choice regarding what unseen realm you’re believing for.

We know how it ends, so let’s act like it.

Lastly, I want to pray this beautiful blessing from Romans over you:

“Now may God, the fountain of hope, fill you to overflowing with uncontainable joy and perfect peace as you trust in him. And may the power of the Holy Spirit continually surround your life with his super-abundance until you radiate with hope!”

-Romans 15:13 (TPT)

Amen!