How Can We Find the Amazing Hope in Christ?
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We were once a people without hope, but God has given us hope in Christ.
Hopelessness sinks us in despair and discouragement. Our world lacks any hope. When people act from this lack, it leads to seeking short-term pleasures, violence, and other destructive behaviors. When all around leads to destruction, we should seek all we can. “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die” (1 Corinthians 15:32).
God provides hope, an anchor for our soul (Hebrews 6:19). Hope gives us security and purpose— in this life and beyond. These three remain: faith, hope, and love. Many speak about faith and love, but we often misunderstand hope. How can we find the amazing hope in Christ?
What Bible Verse Talks about “Hope in Christ”?
Romans 15:13 states: “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.” This verse beautifully captures the essence of hope grounded in faith and reliance on Christ.
The opening phrase, “May the God of hope,” shows us hope’s divine source. It establishes that God is not only a deity but specifically a God characterized by hope. Hope is not merely a human construct. It is rooted in God’s very nature. Recognizing God as the hope’s source sets the tone for the rest of the verse.
The verse continues with dynamic imagery of being filled with joy and peace, conveying a sense of completeness and abundance from trusting in God. The joy and peace are not contingent on external circumstances but come from an unwavering trust in the God of hope.
How Does the Verse Say We Receive Hope in Christ?
The pivotal phrase in the verse is “as you trust in him.” This places the responsibility on believers to actively engage in trusting God. Hope is not a passive experience. It is linked to an active, trusting relationship with the divine. The act of trusting becomes the conduit through which God’s hope, joy, and peace are poured into believers’ lives.
The verse introduces the Holy Spirit’s role in empowering believers to overflow with hope. With God as the hope’s source, the Father sends the gift of the Spirit to dwell within us. The Holy Spirit, the “power” behind this overflow of hope, underscores that hope in Christ is supernatural and transformative.
In Hebrews, the writer discusses the promise of God through Abraham, when God swears not on humanity’s ability or work but on himself. This becomes a sure promise. With this in mind, Hebrews says, “This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which enters the Presence behind the veil, where the forerunner has entered for us, even Jesus, having become High Priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”
This verse equates Jesus with the hope of entering the Holy of Holies, a sure and steadfast hope. Christ is the hope, and we find this hope in him.
Does Hope in Christ Mean We Always Feel Good?
In English, we often use the word hope as a wish. When we say, “I hope the Lions win the Super Bowl,” we express a wish, a desire. However, as we’ve seen, the hope in Christ operates independently of our wants or desires. God will do what he has promised; we can trust this completely. Emotions and feelings are important, but they are temporary and limited. Therefore, feelings prove poor foundations for our lives.
Hope in Christ is not synonymous with constant euphoria or having no difficulties. Instead, it involves steadfast confidence in God’s promises, even when facing adversity. Challenges and trials are an inevitable part of being human. The Bible acknowledges suffering and tribulations, but God provides hope in Christ to endure and transcend these temporal hardships.
Hope in Christ is anchored in a relationship with a loving and sovereign God. This relationship does not shield believers from pain or discomfort. It assures them of God’s presence and steadfast love amid life’s ups and downs. The Apostle Paul exemplifies this perspective in his writings. Despite facing numerous hardships, including imprisonment and persecution, Paul maintained a resilient hope in Christ that sustained him through every trial.
We react during hard times. No one enjoys conflict, pain, or grief, and trials bring out negative emotions, whether anger, discouragement, or wanting to quit.
Hope comforts believers during trials because it extends beyond difficulties. Christ’s disciples can be confident in the ultimate victory through Christ’s sacrifice. This eternal hope remains unshaken despite life’s challenges and invites believers to navigate their lives with a resilient spirit, knowing their hope is grounded in something more. The Christian understanding of hope extends beyond mere emotional states to encompass a deep-seated confidence in the ultimate victory. Secured through Christ’s sacrifice.
Moreover, the transformative nature of hope in Christ becomes evident in adversity. Rather than eliminating all negative feelings, Christian hope provides a lens to understand and navigate suffering. It allows believers to find purpose in their pain, drawing on their faith to endure and persevere.
It is crucial to differentiate between fleeting happiness and the enduring joy that comes from hope in Christ. Happiness often depends on external circumstances. Joy rooted in Christ is a deep-seated contentment transcending life’s ebbing and flowing challenges. This joy coexists with acknowledging difficulties, offering believers a source of strength and resilience.
The Bible showcases individuals who faced trials and tribulations while maintaining hope in Christ. The Psalms, especially by King David, contain many laments, yet they consistently turn toward hope in God’s unfailing love and faithfulness.
How Does Hope in Christ Change Our Perspective?
When discussing the truth of hope in Christ, prepositions matter. This hope we discuss resides in Christ, within the Son of God. The Bible expresses several times how the Spirit resides within us. At the same time, the New Testament states how we are far more in Christ.
“In Christ” is used over 80 times in the whole New Testament—over 70 times by Paul in his letters. Paul includes the phrase “in Christ” about 27 times in the letter to the Ephesians alone.
Why is this important? Only that which is in Christ will remain. They must be hidden within him to escape the coming and inevitable destruction. Being within Christ means a believer’s life sits at God’s right hand (Colossians 3:3).
This transforms our perspective. First, Christians enjoy complete oneness with the Trinity. Second, believers are given oneness with each other in the Church, God’s family.
From this reality, Christians develop an eternal perspective. Hope in Christ shifts the focus from temporal circumstances to eternal realities. While the world offers temporary solutions and fleeting pleasures, hope in Christ directs attention to God’s enduring promises. This perspective allows believers to navigate life with steadfast assurance in God’s unchanging character. This shift in focus brings stability, security transcending present uncertainties.
Next, hope in Christ instills a sense of purpose and meaning during difficulties. With this eternal perspective, believers shift their goals to fulfilling God’s mission. God’s mission is to reconcile all creation back to himself through his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. This purpose becomes the guiding focus for each believer in every situation.
Hope in Christ shifts from fear to faith. Life’s uncertainties often lead to fear, anxiety, and doubt. However, hope in Christ serves as an antidote to fear, offering a firm foundation for trust and confidence. The Bible frequently encourages believers to “fear not” and to place their trust in the Lord.
Further, hope in Christ transforms the way individuals perceive themselves and others. The eternal perspective emphasizes every person’s inherent value as created in God’s image. This fosters compassion, forgiveness, and a sense of shared humanity. Instead of viewing individuals through worldly standards, hope in Christ encourages a Christ-centered perspective, valuing each person’s potential for redemption, transformation, and reconciliation.
The Christian understanding of hope is rooted in the belief that God is sovereign and that all things work together for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28). This assurance helps us see challenges as opportunities for growth, refinement, and seeing God’s unfolding purposes. In hard times, individuals with hope in Christ find a deeper meaning in their struggles, recognizing them as part of a larger narrative shaped by divine hand.
How Can We Practice Finding Hope in Christ?
Prayer is the primary avenue for practicing hope in Christ. Through prayer, we express our concerns, hopes, and desires to God, seeking His guidance and relying on His promises.
Christ’s roles also include being the High Priest and intercessor before the throne. Prayer aligns our hearts and minds to Christ—His person and purpose. Engaging in both individual and communal prayer helps us maintain a vibrant and intimate connection with God. Prayer allows us to surrender our anxieties and uncertainties and receive the peace that comes from trusting in His sovereignty.
We must also immerse ourselves in the Word of God, exploring passages that highlight God’s promises, faithfulness, and character. Scriptures such as 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, emphasizing the eternal perspective on momentary afflictions, serve as anchors for cultivating hope.
We also need reminders from others with the same hope. Fellowship with the Christian community is a practical way to reinforce hope in Christ. A community of believers provides shared experiences, support, and encouragement giving us a sense of belonging and shared hope. Acts of compassion, kindness, and empathy within the Christian community exemplify the love and hope found in Christ, fostering an environment where we can uplift one another and bear each other’s burdens.
Additionally, we can practice hope in Christ by intentionally cultivating a grateful mindset. Acknowledging and appreciating the blessings, both big and small, reminds us of God’s goodness and provision in the past, and that he will faithfully fulfill his promises in the future. Gratitude redirects the focus from what may be lacking or challenging to the abundance of God’s grace. It nurtures a hopeful perspective transcending our circumstances.
Engaging in acts of service and generosity is one way we tangibly express our hope in Christ. With an eternal perspective, we have the wealth of the Kingdom at our disposal, and our generosity reveals heaven is real and God’s abundant love for all people. By extending love and kindness to others, we embody the selfless love exemplified by Jesus.
Practicing hope in Christ and embracing an eternal perspective requires intentional and active engagement with various spiritual disciplines. By integrating these practices into our daily lives, we can navigate present challenges with a resilient assurance in God’s eternal promises.
Peace.
Photo Credit: © GettyImages/mbolina
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