We have this hope as anchor for the soul, firm and secure. (Heb. 6:19)
Hope is a powerful force and agent of change. It inspires us. It motivates us. It brings joy, faith, and confidence. But hope can be painful as well. Hope can be scary, uncertain, and leave us feeling vulnerable to disappointment and failure. Have you ever been let down over something you were hoping for? I think that relates to all of us and many of us have said, “I won’t ever allow myself to be disappointed in that way again.” Or “I won’t be hurt in that way again.” This is where we come up with unhelpful phrases like “Don’t get your hopes up!” Or “If you’re not expecting anything you can’t be disappointed.”
Over the past year or so, I started hoping for something and then I stopped hoping. Somewhere along the process, I decided it was better to temper my expectations. What may have feigned itself as wisdom and guarding my heart and emotions, took a turn for the worse, as I actually began saying things like “I know this is not going to happen now” and “I’m not even going to think this could happen right now.” When a hopeful thought would emerge, I began shutting it down and rejecting it immediately. Eventually, I believe God showed that not only was I lacking faith over my situation, but I was actually partnering with unbelief and putting my faith in the outcome I least desire. Ouch.
Protecting ourselves from hope and shielding ourselves against it is self-sabotaging. Although it may seem to offer protection, all it does is close our hearts to the possibilities and the growth that God is inviting us into. We don’t always get what we hope for, but I believe that when we choose to hope and put our confidence in God, He never leaves us empty-handed. We always come away with more of Him and He pours His blessing into our lives, whether it was in the way we expected it or not.
So, what are you hoping for? What are you not hoping for that you need to start hoping for again? Where are you stretching yourself in trust and faith in this season? Let’s let hope grow inside us once more. Let’s see what blooms as a result.
