Hope is a strong word

In the past year, I have been using the H- word a lot. But I realize that we often have a foggy understandings of what Biblical hope is. It has been a powerful word to GOD’s people down through history. It has been profound. I have had to ask myself this question. Why has hope been such a strong word to the people of GOD during a time when they were facing horrible persecution? Much of the reason is lost in the translation of the word!

In English, the word has a very broad range of meaning. It can mean anything from “I hope I win the lottery.” (A hope that is nearly an impossible dream!) to “I hope I can lose 10 pounds on this new diet.” (A mixed hope depending on a variety of factors.) to “We have a hope for Jesus’ return.” (An absolute certainty based on the promises of GOD!)

The definition of the Biblical word for hope

And that is the definition of the Biblical use of hope! It is confident expectation or an absolute certainty based on the promises of GOD. He promised a coming Savior. That Savior didn’t look like what they were expecting, nor did He come on the expected time frame. But He came. It was totally when GOD planned. In the way He planned. And everything He planned to be done during that short 33 years, was done and completed thoroughly! Not one thing was left undone.

That is the definition of the Biblical use of hope! It is confident expectation or an absolute certainty based on the promises of GOD. Click To Tweet

So we can put our hope in Christ and His promises.  We can put our hope in the work He did on the cross. It was complete and totally purchased our salvation. Jesus’ death paid for our sin. Because of Him, we can stand complete and dressed in Christ’s righteousness. We are part of His family now and heirs to His Kingdom. The work He did was totally sufficient to pay for the sin of each person who has accessed His glorious grace and mercy.

He promised a coming Savior. That Savior didn’t look like what they were expecting, nor did He come on the expected time frame. But He came. It was totally when GOD planned. Click To Tweet

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time
are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly,
but because of him who subjected it,
in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption
and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.
And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit,
groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.
For in this hope we were saved.
Now hope that is seen is not hope.
For who hopes for what he sees?
But if we hope for what we do not see,
we wait for it with patience.

Romans 8:18-24 ESV

Action plan: Make a list of some promises of GOD from both the Old and New Testaments that you come across today. What promises from the Old Testament have been fulfilled? Which ones remain to be fulfilled? Which ones are true and continue to encourage you? (Such as Psalms that refer to GOD as our fortress, refuge, Shepherd, etc.)

Often, I find it helpful to put a promise in one or two word form in my Bible Gateway website or app (you need to choose your preferred translation.) Then look at the different verses that you find. You will find much encouragement there. I promise.

Yes,There is word ‘Hope’ and where there is stronger word ‘Love’ , there is even strongest word ‘Hope’. “Hope is a good thing, may be the best of things and No good thing ever dies” – Shawshank Redemption.

Simply so How do you express deep love in words? Expressing Deep Love in Words

1. I cherish you.
2. I want a lifetime with you.
3. I adore you.
4. I am better because of you.
5. I need you by my side.
6. I cannot stop thinking about you.
7. My love for you is unconditional and eternal.
8. All of the good in my life is because of you.

What are the 3 words better than I love you? Phrases that should be as important to us as a declaration of love.

• “I forgive you.” I forgive you for all the things have done, or will do, that may hurt me. …
• “I’ll sacrifice for you.” I’ll sacrifice my time for you. …
• “I respect you.” I respect you for who you are, and not for what I feel you deserve.

also How do you tell someone you love them a lot? Cute Ways to Say “I Love You”

1. I’m crazy about you.
2. You’re my dream come true.
3. You take my breath away.
4. Since you’ve been around I smile a lot more than I used to.
5. There is no one I’d rather steal blankets from.
6. You’re my partner in crime.
7. You look great today and every day.
8. I’m jealous of people who get to see you every day.

Is adore more than love?

Adore is stronger than love when talking about things (i adore this flowers” is stronger than “i love this flowers “). When talking to someone, love is stronger (“i love you ” is stronger and you’d only say it to your lover, “i adore you ” is strong too but you can say it to a very good friend for example).

What are some romantic lines? The 40 Most Romantic Lines in Poems

• “Sonnet 116” — William Shakespeare. …
• “Love One Another” — Khalil Gibran. …
• “Every Day You Play” — Pablo Neruda. …
• “I Am Not Yours” — Sara Teasdale. …
• “somewhere I have never traveled, gladly beyond” — e.e. cummings. …
• “Variations on the Word Sleep” — Margaret Atwood. …
• “All I Ever Wanted” — Katie Ford.

How do you define love in 5 words?

53 People Describe What Love Is In Exactly Five Words

1. “Thinking as ‘we’ not ‘me. ‘”
2. “Spooning on a Sunday morning.”
3. “When sex becomes actual lovemaking.”
4. “Tackling the world as two.”
5. “Holding hands and feeling complete.”
6. “Wiping away his eye crust.”
7. “When commitment is a privilege.”
8. “Bubble baths as a couple.”

How can I express my romantic feelings? Here are seven ways to express your love:

1. Offer the gift of listening. …
2. Say please and thank you. …
3. Tell your loved ones how much you love and appreciate them. …
4. Offer to help someone in need. …
5. Write a letter or send a card to someone you love and mail it. …
6. Write your loved ones a poem of gratitude.

What are the 3 golden words?

Please, sorry and thank you are known as the Golden Words. Using these three words means you have good manners. Remember, everyone likes children who have good manners.

Is there something higher than love? Is there anything greater than love? In a simple answer, yes there is. Gratitude. … With gratitude, you can be grateful for someone whether or not they are being kind, happy, sad, angry or anything else they’re choosing.

What are the 3 magical words?

The 3 Magic Words – “Please, Sorry and Thank You” The importance of these three magical words often goes undermined and unseen. We often do not use these words because we fail to understand its significance.

How do you say I love you so much in different ways? Ways to say I love you:

1. I’m crazy about you.
2. I’m in love with you.
3. I’ve got feelings for you.
4. I care about you.
5. I’ve fallen for you.
6. I adore you.
7. You turn me on.
8. I’m head over heels for you.

What is the code for I Love You?

2. 143: I Love You.

How do you express love?

Five Ways to Express Love

1. Gifts. Some people express and feel love through gift-giving. …
2. Acts. Another way to express love is to do something kind or helpful for another person. …
3. Time. Spending quality time together is also an expression of love. …
4. Touch. Love can be expressed through physical affection. …
5. Words.

How do you tell someone you care deeply? How to tell someone you love them without saying, “I love you”

1. My life is enriched by your presence in it.
2. I’m significantly better off for having met you.
3. You make me want to be better than I am.
4. I’d be sad if you weren’t around.
5. You’re important to me, and I don’t take knowing you for granted.

What is more than like but less than love? Infatuation consists of people thinking they are in love but when indeed it is just a deep lust or like for another person. Also, attraction can be stronger than like and weaker than love. (used as attracted to). Though it is usually a physical attraction and you can be attracted to someone you don’t like.

How do you explain love?

Love is something that is cultivated between two people and grows over time, through getting to know him or her and experiencing life’s many ups and downs together. It involves commitment, time, mutual trust, and acceptance.

What is love Short Line? Sweet Short Love Quotes

One day, I caught myself smiling without no reason, then I realized that I was thinking of you. Every love story is beautiful but ours is my favorite. I only want two things in this world. I want you and I want us. … Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.

How do I text romantic?

10 Romantic Texts To Send Your Partner Just To Say “I Love You”

1. Express What You Wish You Were Doing. …
2. Let Them Know When You Think Of Them. …
3. Tell Them How They Make You Feel. …
4. Send Them Something Only They’d Understand. …
5. Lean Into The Cheesiness. …
6. Tell Them A Story. …
7. Send Them A Song. …
8. Give Them A Superlative.

What is a true love? True love is a strong and lasting affection between spouses or lovers who are in a happy, passionate and fulfilling relationship. An example of true love is the emotion shared between a couple who has been married for 40 years and who are still passionate about each other and care deeply for each other.

What are the 4 types of love?

The Four Types of Love: Some Are Healthy, Some Are Not

• Eros: erotic, passionate love.
• Philia: love of friends and equals.
• Storge: love of parents for children.
• Agape: love of mankind.

How can you describe love? Love is Commitment

Being there for someone is what a real relationship needs. When we neglect to put in the effort is when things don’t work out with someone that could have been perfect for us. If you put in that extra effort for someone that can reciprocate it, love can be the greatest feeling one can ever feel.”

This is the second post in a three-part series titled: ”Three Things Remain.” The purpose of this series is to go deeper into the meaning of the three greatest Christian virtues: faith, hope, and love.

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1 Corinthians 13:13

Hope is a beautiful word used by people all over the world. It represents the possibility of a positive outcome, a beacon of light in the darkness. It is highly esteemed in the Bible, and many biblical characters spoke of it.

However, hope in the Bible is different from its everyday use. Nowadays, hope is expecting something to happen, but not being entirely sure it will; it is more like a wish. For example, hoping it doesn’t rain or hoping your favorite team wins the championship, etc.

The Merriam Webster Dictionary defines hope as “to cherish a desire with anticipation: to want something to happen or to be true.” This definition is based on doubt and uncertainty, but biblical hope is knowing for a fact that the desired outcome will happen. It’s not wishful thinking, but a confident expectation.

For further understanding, let’s look at the Hebrew and Greek words for hope.

Hope in Hebrew

Two main Hebrew words are translated as hope in the Old Testament. The first word is yachal, and it appears about 48 times in the Old Testament.

According to Strong’s concordance, yachal means to wait or to be patient. It is translated as such in some verses such as Genesis 8:12, 1 Samuel 10:8, 2 Kings 6:33, and Job 6:11. But it also appears as hope in other verses like Job 13:15, Psalm 31:24, and Psalm 71:14.

Yachal is most often associated with waiting on God; it may be waiting on His word, promises, or actions such as in Job 13:15 “Though He slays me, I will hope in Him.” But sometimes yachal is used when waiting continually or enduring such as in Psalm 71:14, “But I will hope continually and will praise you yet more and more.”

The second word is tiqvah or qavah. Tiqvah means cord or attachment. It first appears in Joshua 2:18 “you shall tie this scarlet cord in the window…” and is translated as cord in the book of Joshua only. In other books, it is translated as hope, such as in Ruth 1:12, Job 4:6, Psalm 9:18, Proverbs 19:18, and the famous Jeremiah 29:11.

Tiqvah means to expect, and it is related to the Hebrew word qavah, which means to wait for, to expect. or look eagerly. Qavah comes from the root word qav, which means cord. Qavah is a feeling of tension and expectation while waiting for something to happen, like pulling a cord tight to produce a state of tension. Qavah appears in Genesis 49:18, Job 7:2, Psalm 25:3, Psalm 37:4, and is primarily translated as wait.

In conclusion, hope in the old testament means to wait for something with expectation and anticipation it will happen. It is often accompanied by joy and pleasure, and it’s related to God.

Hope in Greek

The word hope in the New Testament is from the Greek word elpis. According to Strong’s Concordance, elpis means expectation, trust, and confidence. It comes from the root word elpo, which means to anticipate (with pleasure) and to welcome. Elpis is an expectation of what is guarantee.

Elpis first appears in the New Testament in Matthew 12:21, “and in His name, the Gentiles will hope.” The word hope in this verse comes from the verb form of elpis, which is elpizo. In some versions, elpizo is hope and in other versions, trust.

Elpis appears over 50 times in the New Testament and is used when in anticipation of future events that are certain to come.  Hope in the New Testament means a reasonable expectation, looking towards the future with assurance. It is also accompanied by joy and pleasure, and it’s related to Jesus.

Putting it all together

Hope in the Bible is not a mere wish as used today that implies doubt. On the contrary, it is confidently expecting that something will happen and waiting patiently for it with joy and pleasure. John Piper puts it this way: “Christian hope is a confidence that something will come to pass because God has promised it will come to pass.”

Furthermore, biblical hope takes its foundation from faith. Hebrews 11:1 states “Faith is the substance of things hoped for.” We cannot have one without the other.

GotQuestions.org  puts it this way: “Faith and hope are complimentary. Faith is grounded in the reality of the past; hope is looking to the reality of the future. Without faith, there is no hope, and without hope, there is no true faith.“

Hope is looking expectantly towards the future based on our faith in God in the present and His faithfulness in the past.

Christians need to have hope. It motivates us to move forward because life is a neverending flow of hardships and trials. When we have hope, we can navigate those turbulent waters without despair. We can have joy and peace despite our circumstances because we know we have a God that works all things for our good. As Desmond Tutu said, “hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.”

Attributes of biblical hope

The Bible mentions the word hope about 129 times, and it is one of the most important virtues of the Christian alongside with faith and love. Here are some of its biblical attributes.

1. Hope is always in the future and never seen

For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

Romans 8:24-25

Hope requires trust in God; we do not see what we are waiting for, nor do we know when it will come. But through our trust in God, we are confident it will come, and we wait for it patiently.

2. Perseverance in our suffering brings hope

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

Romans 5:3-4

Trials, develop our endurance, and teach us to trust God despite our sufferings. And that perseverance builds our character and enables us to see beyond our current circumstances to the future God promised, which produces hope.

3. Hope brings joy and peace

The hope of the righteous brings joy, but the expectation of the wicked will perish.

Proverbs 10:28

Hope produces joy because you know a favorable event will happen, and your wait is not in vain.

4. Christ is our living hope

waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

Titus 2:13

Christ is our living hope, the fulfillment of everything we wait for in this life. He is coming soon to make all things new, and Christians are expecting His return with joy.

5. We have hope for a resurrection

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

The Resurrection of Christ is the cornerstone of our faith, As Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:14, if Jesus has not risen then our faith is empty and without His resurrection, we have no hope for the next life. But Christ is risen, and we can confidently expect to rise on the last day.

6. Without Christ, there is no hope

Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.

Ephesians 2:12

If Biblical hope is waiting on a future event with confident expectation, and the word of God is the only sure thing in all of creation; therefore, without God, there is no hope. People that do not believe in Christ can not have hope in this life or the next.

7. Hope makes us bold

We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain

Hebrews 6:19

Since we have such a hope, we are very bold,

2 Corinthians 3:12

Hebrews 6:18 says God can’t lie. Every promise God makes will come to pass, and we can be bold and confident in our hope and even boast of it because we know it will happen.

Recommended Resources 

What is the Christian Hope?

   Grace and peace to you! 

If you have enjoyed this post, please share the love and let me know what you think in the comments section below.

The dictionary describes hope as a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.  An Ideal is described as satisfying one’s conception of what is perfect; most suitable. In conclusion, it is safe to say that when you combine those two words together you “have an expectation and desire for what is most suitable for yourself.” Author Julie Neraas describes Hope in this way,

“Hope in contrast with religion, seems refreshingly spacious. It is roomier and more inclusive because it does not require assent to particular beliefs, nor is it wedded to ideology. Indeed, hope, while necessary to our well-being, can exist with equal strength within religious traditions and outside of them.

Hope is compelling because it is universal. It crosses all human boundaries: age, race, class, gender, ethnicity, and religious, political, or any other persuasion. Everyone needs it, and almost everyone exhibits at least some measure of hope if they have made it as far as this day.” 

But it simply isn’t enough to just “wish” for something to happen. Hope is important because hope involves the will to get there, and different paths for you to take. Life can be difficult and that shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Yet, hope allows you to keep going down different roads, to see things different, and to try and make things for your perfect ideal. This hold true, even when there seems like there isn’t a solution. In fact, the word “hope” is in the definition of the word “faith”. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Furthermore, Faith without works is dead. Meaning, if you simply wish on something to happen, but do nothing to work toward it, then it is of no use. In order for us to fulfill our Ideal of Hope, we have to take action with our hope. 

Fulfilling our Ideal of Hope looks different for different people. Sometimes, this is a practice that we do without even realizing it. For example, when you “hope to pass an exam”, you don’t just take the quiz without studying. We study and put in the amount of work necessary. We research and memorize information. Then, we “hope” to retain all of that information when it comes time to take the exam. Another example. “I hope I get this job.” It would be quite unusual to just show up unprepared to an interview. We research the company, put on our best dress and put the finishing touches on our resumes. Right before the interview, we “hope” that everything we did to prepare will land us this job. In both those examples, we apply actions to our hope because we know that just by hoping for something and yet taking no action has little to no effect. The same goes for our perfect Ideal of Hope for our lives. We study, we put in the time, we research. We stay dedicated and motivated by our goals and dreams by keeping a clear image in our heads of what we want. Further we translate those dreams and ideas into action. Hope allows us to approach problems with a proactive, positive mindset, and increase our chances of success. It aids in overall well-being and is an effective buffer to stress. 

It is easiest to have hope when things are going well in your life. It’s when life gets difficult that we need to utilize hope the most. Here are some ways to practice hope. 

First, we must keep in mind that hope is active, it is something we do rather than something we have. If you find yourself in a situation that you would like to turnaround, get out and start doing something about it. Put some action behind your hope. For example; if you want to learn a new language, download an app. If you can’t physically go to school, look into online classes.

Second, surround yourself with positive uplifting people that are out to better themselves and the world. There is a proverb that says “As Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Meaning this: If a knife is blunt, it continues to be a knife. It just isn’t as effective as it could be. When you start to polish and sharpen the knife, it becomes more useful in the ways it was intended to be used. In that same manner is why we need to surround ourselves with positive and uplifting people. To help us stay sharp and motivated. To keep us with a positive attitude toward our Ideal of Hope. Ultimately, we must take part in helping to keep our preverbal knife from getting blunt.

Thirdly, make a list of possibilities. Plan short term goals to change what you can and take steps to move yourself closer to the outcomes you hope for. Do this while continuing to trust that things will work out if you continually take steps toward your goals. This is a good way to practice because it starts you off one step at a time. Your Ideal of Hope may be something huge for yourself or even something miniscule. Regardless, it might require just more than one step. Making a list and starting from step one is an action. It is getting you to realize, on paper, what must be done to accomplish your dream. Following, one by one, you can start applying your actions to your hope an idea d start crossing your short-term goals off of your list.

“Just as despair can come to one only from other human beings, hope, too, can be given to one only by other human beings.” ⁃Elie Weisel 

When hope is damaged it affects more than one person. When real hope is denied it is hard to replace. When a person has lost hope it can be hard to find motivation again. All of these statement hold true. The most important impact we have on each other is through how we affect each other’s hopes. Hope breeds hope. When hope exists, we engage with our environment more. We devote more of ourselves to what we do – as does everyone else around us. Hope engages our creativity and our problem-solving skills. Sometimes, we may be called upon to help someone keep their hope alive. That is a noble thing to do; when we help others remain hopeful, we in turn see that we are constantly motivating ourselves to stay hopeful as well. Being a positive influence on the world around you will inspire and motivate people to stay hopeful in their goals. They will realize that things may not be as bad as they may appear. It will help others to keep up with their actions applied toward their hopes. Each one of us has the capacity to influence each other to stay hopeful. “Where there is Hope, there is life. It fills us with fresh courage and makes us strong again.” — Anne Frank. The capacity to hope is an indispensable human quality; even in times of crisis when confidence and trust have been broken, hope sustains us in our living.

 I encourage you to be helpful and hopeful towards one another. You never know just how much you may change someone’s life.