Hope is very closely linked to trust. Hope is the expectation of good and is required to have faith as faith is hope plus obedient action. Hope in the Christian sense is not a wish or wishful thinking. Hope is the belief that God is both perfectly sovereign (omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent) and perfectly good (righteous, holy, loving, kind, etc.) and, because of that knowledge of the heart, character, and power of God, placing one’s trust fully in Him.

God is both willing (Matthew 8:3) and able (Matthew 9:29, Mark 9:23-24, Romans 4:21) to work on your behalf for your good. God works all things together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). These truths give us hope.

Our hope in Jesus is an anchor for the soul (Hebrews 6:17-20). An anchor keeps us stable and secure when the waters are turbulent. Instead of being swept out to sea and drowned, an anchor keeps us where we need to be in the middle of bad weather. Our hope in Jesus does that for us; it keeps us from being overwhelmed when trials come.

Hope gets a reputation in certain Christian circles as being nothing more than wishful thinking, but it’s a foundational part of Christianity. Hope is listed with faith and love in 1 Corinthians 13 as the three things that remain when all else fails. Without hope, we would be in despair, and despair leads to death.

Putting your hope in God means that you trust Him with your life. It means that, even in bad times, you know that He is good and that He is helping you. Hope, when combined with obedient action, is faith, and faith pleases God (Hebrews 11:6). Obedient action is doing what the Holy Spirit prompts you to do in any given situation. Sometimes that is as simple as quoting scripture and thanking God for His word.

For example, if you are feeling afraid and alone, you can pray this simple prayer: “Lord, I thank You that you have promised never to leave me nor forsake me.” You’re quoting the relevant part of Hebrews 13:5 and combining it with thanksgiving, which is an expression of faith and trust based in hope. That little snippet can be a springboard for more prayer. It reminds you of who God is, which gives you courage to pray for the impossible.