By definition, hope is “a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing.” However, most people tend to use the word with very little expectation despite possessing a great desire for whatever it is. When we have confidence, that is marked by a high degree of both desire and expectation. And when it comes to life lived trustingly in the hands of God, that is what ought to mark our life.
Remember the Hebrew writer noted faith in the following manner:
“(1) Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1 ESV)
The Greek word translated “assurance” is “hupostasis” (“hupo”, under, and “histemi”, to stand) and so is literally a standing under or support and therefore an “assurance”. [source: W. E. Vine’s Expository Dict. Of N.T. Words]
We can have assurance and confidence because the faith is in the One Who is all powerful and able to bring to fullness whatever He has said He will do. Therefore, as we pray it is not to be merely hopeful of a possibility, but with confident expectation. Relative to this, someone has said, “Confidence is knowing, it’s not hope.” (original source unknown)
This is the approach John encouraged toward where we read. . .
“(14) And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. (15) And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.” (1 John 5:14-15 ESV)
This is not a confidence in all our personal desires and plans to work out, but in His on our behalf as we trust the working of His Will to always be what is best for us even during times we may not fully understand. As we look back on our life seeing how God has sustained us and brought us through to this point despite life’s ups and downs, may we continue to have confidence in His Sovereign power to bring us from where we are to where He ultimately wants us; eternally with Him!
Have a great day KNOWING GOD’S WILL SHALL PREVAIL!
Carl
