When Hope Feels Drained

We hope we get the job (or that the manuscript sells).

We hope this guy’s “The One.”

We hope for positive pregnancy tests and negative cancer tests.

And although these are all good things, what happens when we don’t get them?

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about this lately because an awful lot of what I’ve hoped for in life hasn’t come true. This year, specifically, has been so full of broken dreams and crushing disappointments that I recently said my hope is pretty much drained.

Not what someone with the tagline Hope Remains should admit, I suppose.

But God met me where I was last night and gently reminded me of the most simple truth.

Our hope should never be in earthly, temporary circumstances. Hope in things of this world is bound to fall short. The job will fall through, the guy will break our heart, we’ll see one line instead of two, and disease will steal our loved ones.

But how many times are we reminded in scriptures and hymns that our hope is found in one place alone?

All our hope is in Jesus.

The one who is constant, unchanging, and enduringly faithful.

The only true source of hope.

So, I woke up with this on my heart:

Circumstances are not the reason for my hope. If my next manuscript doesn’t sell, if my next phone call is more bad news, if my health continues to decline, there is still hope. My hope—and yours—can only come from Him.

He never fails.

And hope remains.

Hope always, always remains.