But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; 1 Peter 3:15
Everyone is looking for something that they can hang their hope on, something to look forward to, something that they can believe is in their future. Even those who claim not to believe in God are believers in something. If their hope is not in God and His Word, then they are placing their hope in someone who is not God or something that is of this world and passing away.
There are plenty of things people put their hope in, and the pursuits of their life reflect the objects of their hope. One could put their hope in their job or their profession, perhaps the prospect of a promotion or a raise in pay. In this case, if what is expected or anticipated does not come to pass, the one who is trusting in such things would find themselves in a rather hopeless situation; and a hopeless life. This same truth applies to putting your hope in anything or anyone besides the Lord.
This truth applies not only to things in this life that people hope in, but also things they hope will help them in the long run. You can observe and reflect upon anyone’s life that has come and gone and see where their hope got them. But, how can you see beyond the grave to know the end result of hoping in this, that or the other thing? It’s simple enough — could this, that or the other thing save their eternal soul? Will this, that or the other thing be with them in eternity? If they were trusting in riches, did they take any of it with them? If they spent their life trusting in their knowledge and education, will any of that apply in the life to come? If they invested all of their life climbing the “ladder of success”, can that success be carried over into eternity?
Everything we have seen so far involves hope that is based on things outside of ourselves; events in the world or the actions of others. The hope we read about today in the Word of God is not external and based on circumstances or others, but it is a hope that lives in you as a part of having Jesus living in your heart — the hope that is in you. Hope has the power to help you through today and heal you from past hurts. Hope gives you the encouragement and even the incentive to press on today because of what God has in store for you tomorrow and next week and next year (and throughout eternity).
There may be things you are hoping for that keep getting you down. This is a reminder to put your expectations in the Lord based on the promises of His Word. Do not just hope something or the other is going to happen without it having a basis in truth. Get God’s word on it and then you will have that hope in your heart. This is a wonderful benefit of knowing the Lord and having a place in your heart for Him. The Lord never changes and His Word is always true, so when you get a promise from God that you are believing to be manifested in your life or those you love, tuck it away in your heart and hold on to that hope.
No matter what goes on in the world around you or what path others choose to take, you can always have peace and joy in your heart because of the hope that is in you!
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