What exactly is Hope? Webster dictionary defines it as, to desire with expectation of obtainment or to expect with confidence. Faith and trust are required in the hope process; it's impossible to hope without the two. Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen (Hebrews 11:1). You trust God by faith that everything you've hoped for will be given to you.
There is hope in not knowing. For if we knew how everything would happen when it would happen, then what would be the purpose for hope's existence? I believe God gives us hope so we'll never forget how mighty He is. God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we could ask or think according to the power that works in us (Ephesians 3:20). In that power is hope. When we pray, we hope to see what we petition God for come into fruition. Even in our everyday lives, when someone promises to be there or do something for us, we remain hopeful that they keep their promise, right? Well God is sort of like that ....actually He's better! His promises are Yes and Amen (2 Corinthians 1:20). When He says it, it WILL come to pass, without question, hesitation, doubt or second guessing....all in His timing of course.
If we aren't careful, fear will rob us of our hope and the things we've hope for. Fear has no place in our lives because it's not given to us by God. He has given us power and a sound mind. Don't allow fear to creep into your sound mind and become a derailment of your process. We also have to make sure we don't get weary. Oh, it's very easy to become discouraged and even doubtful but we have to hang on the Word of God. If that's the only thing that keeps us going, let it be. We know that His word will NEVER return to Him void.
When Jesus was on his way to heal Jairus' dying daughter, in the crowd He was touched by the woman with the issue of blood. He had to stop to find out exactly who touched Him. Now this is Jesus and I'm sure there were so many people around and they were all probably touching Him. But this touch was different. It was a touch of hope, faith and desperation. She'd been to the doctors, spent tons of money and had been shunned by the people because they deemed her legally unclean. But when she heard who was in town she didn't care about the people. Her Faith activated her Hope and her Desperation drove her to Jesus in a crowd that would've been hard to get through for someone without hope, faith or desperation...and she was healed. (Story can be found in Mark 5:25-34)
We should have that drive every time we are hoping for God to come through for us, it doesn't matter how small it may be. Hold tight to your faith, hope for better and be desperate in your search for God. He will come through!
"God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. It's a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God. It's a good thing when you're young to stick it out through the hard times. When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions: Wait for hope to appear. Don't run from trouble. Take it full-face. The "worst" is never the worst." -Lamentations 3:25-30 NLT
