“Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the first-fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”
Romans 8:22
Defining Hope
Hope means “the expectation, confidence or assurance that good is coming and obtainable.”
This word “hope” and its intrinsic and Biblical meaning has morphed with the passage of time. After centuries of use, it has digressed and been diluted so that hope is now thought of as “a wish” or “being lucky.” But the Biblical understanding and the way the first century believers used “hope” is completely different. When they declared, “For you, O Lord, are my hope…” Psalms 71:5, they were not thinking, “O, Lord, maybe I will get lucky in You; maybe You will come through for me”. No, they were believing, “O, Lord, my confidence is in You! I expect that You will do what You are going to do and I want to be a part of it”. In fact, many translations will use words like “confidence” in place of the word hope to make sure you understand the true meaning of a scripture. For example, “But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him” Jeremiah17:7 (NIV 2000. The original NIV of 1984 uses the word “hope” instead of “confidence”. These words are interchangeable.
Noah Webster in his 1828 dictionary concerning hope says, “…hope therefore always gives pleasure or joy; whereas wish and desire may produce or be accompanied by pain and anxiety”. Notice in Romans 8:22 that we who have the first fruits of the Spirit, meaning we are born again, are allowed to have moments of “groaning.” We have those times when things are not what we want or expect. However, Paul, who is speaking on behalf of the Holy Spirit, is letting us know that we must have hope during our times of groaning. If not, the groaning may turn into anxiety, fear, or manifest other thoughts or behaviors that will not work for our good. Hope is the safety net that keeps our hearts and minds focused on what the Lord is going to do in spite of our momentary troubles which are “…achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” 2 Corinthians 4:17. The next verse says, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen (the trouble, the hardship), but on what is unseen (Christ, things of the Spirit). For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal” 2 Corinthians 4:18. This way of life may be hard at first; but, with patience and practice, we can achieve a greater degree of hope. And hope
does not disappoint, because the love of God is within us (Romans 5:5), it will renew our strength (Isaiah 40:31). Otherwise, disappointments may begin to rule and reign in your life. Why not let hope reign? Why not be overflowing with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans15:13)? Why not let the love of God reign? When love for God reigns in your heart, all things work together for your good (Romans 8:28).
Continue to grow in your love of God; continue to enlarge your understanding of the goodness of God even if you do not fully understand what He is doing. Do not let your groanings be bigger than your rejoicings. If they are, your hope in God is too small. The more you grow in your knowledge of Him, the more you will know the “hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance and His incomparably great power for us who believe (Ephesians 1:18-19). The first century Christians learned how to rejoice amid sorrow (2 Corinthians 6:10). They learned how to enjoy life while suffering sorrow and difficulty. They “learned” the secret of contentment just as Paul did (Philippians 4:11). We need to learn this secret ourselves! More on that in a different mediation, I promise.
For now, when you come across a scripture that contains the word “hope”, replace it with the word “confidence” or “expectation” or “assurance” and see if it does not build your faith. Because after all, “…faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” Hebrews 11:1.
Love’s Influence For Everyone who truly lets Christ’s HOPE rule and reign in his or her life. J.W. Brinkley