Holding onto a Promised Hope

There is a fabulous promise in Isaiah 40:31 that those who put their hope in the Lord will renew their strength. This verse inspires us to soar like eagles, to run and not grow weary, to walk and not grow faint. In other words, when we hope in the Lord, we can rise above the worries, fears, challenges, and struggles of daily life because our hope is in God and not our circumstances. That sounds great. But how do we make that promise a reality in our lives?

First, hope is not just a great idea—some ethereal, pie-in-the-sky dream that we want to be real but aren’t really convinced it is. Hope is grounded in truth, and truth is defined in God’s Word. In order to make hope a living source of strength in our moment-by-moment reality, we must be anchored in God’s Word.

“May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in your word” (Psalm 119:74, NIV).

We do that through daily reading of Scripture, perhaps using a Bible reading guide; consistent study of Scripture, maybe in a small group or using the inductive method on our own; meditation on the Word, by focusing our minds on each word of a verse or passage; and memorization, an often overlooked method of hiding the truth in our hearts.

Second, even when our hope is grounded in truth, we often have to wait. God’s ways and timing are not the same as ours, but they are always perfect (Prov. 3:5-6). As we wait, we worship, meditating on His truths over and over, and fellowshipping with other believers who will support, encourage, and pray for us.

“I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope” (Psalm 130:5).

Third, we have to hold onto that hope by faith. Profess it aloud. Guard your heart, mind, and mouth from anything that opposes the truth of who God is. Holding on to hope is active, not passive. As we choose to believe God’s promises even in the face of trials and heartache, He proves His faithfulness to us.

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” (Hebrews 10:23).

God has promised strength and power to those who put their hope in Him (Isa. 40:29). We all grow weary and stumble, but we can be renewed. We all experience times of weakness, but Jesus sympathizes with our weakness (Heb. 4:15). As we choose to place our hope in God and not in ourselves, other people, or particular circumstances and outcomes, we will experience His strength.

Holding onto hope as the anchor for our souls is an intentional action we must take to trust in His Word, wait on Him, and profess that He is faithful (Heb. 6:19).

Scripture for Meditation

“Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.”

—Hebrews 10:23

Journal Prompt

What are some practical, active steps you can take to put your hope in God?