Why hope?
President Barack Obama authored a book in 2006 entitled, The Audacity of Hope. In the prologue, he shares his personal view of what the audacity of hope looks like.
The audacity of hope. That is the best of the American spirit. I thought it was having the audacity to believe despite all the evidence to the contrary that we could restore our sense of community to a nation in conflict.
Audacity is defined as the willingness to take bold risks, often characterized by confident, daring, or insolent behavior. It can mean courageous bravery or more commonly, disrespectful impudence.
To exhibit optimism amid wars and global conflicts, may be viewed as flip. Trusting God and living by faith when costs are escalating and wages are shrinking, might be seen as daring. However, that is where the audacity of hope comes in.
As believers, our hope is anchored in the Word of God and His promises (Hebrew 6:19). During these uncertain times, we can “audaciously” demonstrate our confidence in the God of hope. We have the assurance of hope.
The Assurance of Hope
The assurance of hope is based on our relationship with the Lord. In Romans 15:13, God is described as the “God of hope”.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
In the beginning of the verse, joy and peace are linked together. Joy is not a fleeting happiness derived from favorable circumstances. Rather, joy is the gladness of heart.
Peace is not the absence of conflict, but it denotes being in “right relationship” with God. This includes access by faith into the grace, in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)
To abound in hope is the result of our relationship with the Holy Spirit. It is the power of the Holy Spirit that empowers us to do things that can only be accomplished supernaturally (Philippians 4:13). Through these 21st century challenges, we can spiritually mature from our experiences, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope will not make us ashamed. (Romans 5: 3-5)
The Protection of Hope
We need the assurance of hope to hold back the troubles of the world and Satan’s attempts to frustrate us. The intent of both is to cause us to “give up.” John Elderedge in his book, Resilient, describes this state of mind as “Desolation.”
I suffered a couple of devastating emotional blows in the summer of 2021. There were things I felt God had promised me that, in heartbreaking ways, did not come through. I felt so betrayed and abandoned. But then, in my vulnerable state, something came over me—a dark cloud, a sort of suffocating fog that urged me to give up my life with God. The symptoms included a sort of dullness of heart, a poverty of spirit, and a bareness of soul. Disappointment, so understandable, collapsed into disillusionment.
Neither hope nor joy comes easily. Hopelessness infects our faith. We must find the supernatural graces to guard our hearts against both Desolation, and the riptides that pull us away from God.
Giving up will result in missed blessings. This includes failure to accomplish the purpose God has designed for us (Ephesians 2:10). Worst case, it may cause us to walk away from our relationship with God and His protection. When that happens, Satan has won, offering no replacement except more disappointment and heart break.
The audacity of hope is possible by:
- Knowing God (Psalm 16:11)
- Abiding in Christ (John15:5)
- Filling by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)
Next week, we’ll continue to discuss the audacity of hope, especially during these chaotic times.