What really is hope? We make a wish when we blow out birthday candles hoping to win a championship game, or land a date. We “hope” for the sun to come out, or for more rain; a marriage proposal, or a divorce; a bigger house, or to downsize; for Mexican food tonight, no actually Italian.

But then there’s a different kind of hope, a spiritual kind, where Jesus is at the center. This kind of hope is listed in 1 Corinthians 13: “…but when perfection (Jesus) comes, the imperfect disappears…Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.”

The Greek word for hope in the New Testament is elpis, which means expectation, trust, and confidence. It comes from the root word elpo, which means to anticipate with pleasure, and to welcome. Biblical hope means looking toward the future with assurance.

We cannot have hope without faith. These qualities are interdependent. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Hope is certainly more than a wish. Hope is absolute reliance on our future, not a wish that changes over time depending on circumstance. Hope is in Jesus who is never changing. Hope is absolute trust that he is in control, and because of this we do not need to fear what happens in our lives day to day, year after year.

Hope is grounded in Jesus, who is never changing. A wish is a wish and should be called a wish. Hope is anchored in Jesus. Hope is Jesus. Jesus is my hope. I hope in him everyday.

Wishes are fleeting, but true hope doesn’t blow away with our breath after making a wish, or with the winds of change. Hope is constant, secure, confident, trusting.

Placing our hope in Jesus helps us through trials day to day. Jesus is the reason my days have hope. I don’t need to fear when trials come because I have an anchor of hope that is there to help me.

“Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” Romans 5:3-5

Darci J. Steiner is the author of the award-winning biblically-based book Beauty Beyond the Thorns: Discovering Gifts in Suffering. She began writing as a way to process her pain after becoming disabled. Darci writes to encourage others always to hold on to hope. Darci is an author, inspirational speaker, and nutritionist. She loves spending time with her husband, two adult daughters, and three grandchildren. Please visit www.darcijsteiner.com to learn about her books and speaking details.

Photo by ChatGPT

Books by Darci Steiner:

If you are searching for hope amidst a trial, Beauty Beyond the Thorns offers a transformative perspective as to where it can be found. Darci weaves biblical and modern day stories, including her arduous journey through chronic pain, to demonstrate how God can turn life’s unexpected curveballs into victorious home runs. This is a story about the upside of suffering.

Beauty Beyond the Thorns Study Guide: Discovering Gifts in Suffering is a companion to the book, Beauty Beyond the Thorns: Discovering Gifts in Suffering. In this study guide, you will be led to write about your journey of suffering so that you can find the beauty often hidden behind hardship. Each chapter draws information from the book, encouraging you to personalize its teachings so you not only read stories of healing, but you also experience personal healing.