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For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:24-25

I’m not much for transition.

As I’ve said in previous blogs, I’m a rut girl. I like my ruts, rhythms and routines. Of course, none of those are really in the Christ-follower job description, so that area of my heart is a constant work in progress. I’ve told my friends it feels like my life is a bottle of Italian salad dressing that God just keeps shaking up. The good stuff is never allowed to just settle on the bottom. The trick is to learn inner peace despite swirling circumstances. But that’s another story.

So I’ve been doing temp work while I continue my job search. There’s something very spiritual about temp work. You know you won’t be there forever so you’ve got a limited time to do your best and leave a mark there before you move on. But my heart longs for a place to plug in and invest long term. So I’m working, watching and waiting.

I recently stumbled upon a potential job I wanted so much, I could barely stand it. My heart was running a hundred miles an hour in that direction. There was very little chance of it actually working out, but that didn’t keep me from wanting it, thinking about it, and, well, hoping for it. And it changed everything about my day. The most mundane tasks were done with renewed purpose and passion, because I knew that there was something more ahead. Like a cool breeze whipping through my soul.

You know what it was? Hope.

And it happened again this past week. A new possibility entered my mind and again, circumstances are not favorable in that direction, but my goodness, I just can’t stop thinking about it. Daydreaming about it, making plans for how I would do it, visualizing the fruit of it. And then I started praying. Hard.

Lord, this is not news to You. You know what’s happening. You know what I want. But the circumstances are such a mess. The only way it could happen is if You move the mountain. You’ve done it before in my life, Lord, and I know You could do it again, if this is what You want. I know I shouldn’t get my hopes up but…

Stop, came the divine interruption. So I did. And listened.

Why, child? Why should you not get your hopes up? Who told you that?

Well, I don’t know. But it sounds like a good idea. You know, just so I’m not disappointed if it doesn’t work out.

And so what if you’re disappointed? You’ve been disappointed before. And you’ve survived. Disappointment doesn’t kill you. Why are you so afraid of it? Why do you work so hard to avoid it?

I don’t know, Lord. Just trying to be realistic. You know, make sense.

And when have I ever called you to be realistic and make sense?

Well, You haven’t.

My child, you were created for faith. And faith cannot be separated from hope. You were made to live your life in hope, not waste time and energy trying to protect your heart. Your heart is My territory. Surrender it again.

And get your hopes up.

Eesh. I was startled by this firm reprimand and continued to ponder it as I was getting ready for work. I thought back to that day a week or so before when my day was lived in hope. How different I felt. And then I realized what He was talking about.

Hope changes the way you pray.
Hope changes the way you perceive difficulty.
Hope changes the way you invest in relationships.
Hope changes the way you process disappointment.
Hope changes the way you work, the way you sleep, the way you LIVE.

There is energy and enthusiasm just below the surface. Your heart is functioning at full capacity. And you don’t fear not getting what you want, because your faith is holding on hard to the security blanket of God’s sovereignty. If He doesn’t give it to you, He has something else. Something better, for your greater good. And you believe Him for it. Amen, and amen.

We hope for lots of things all day long. We hope we find a good parking place. We hope our kid does well at his baseball game. We hope that dream job finally comes through. We hope we don’t get stuck in traffic. We hope we can lose ten pounds before summer. We hope for that text, phone call or email. We hope. Sometimes it works out. And sometimes we’re disappointed.

But our greatest hope is in Christ. We will never be put to shame when we put our hope in Him. Not to give us what we want, but to make good on all His promises: To never leave us, to grow us, to teach us, to give us power and strength and peace that doesn’t make sense, to credit our faith as righteousness, to guide our steps, to forgive our sins, and eventually to take us Home. That hope does not disappoint.

And when we live in that hope, when we pray in that hope, we are different. And knowing that hope is sure gives us the courage to hope for and trust Him for other things.

So get your hopes up.

My King, please forgive my unbelief and forgive my lack of trust. Teach me to not fear disappointment, to not hold back because it may not work out. You will handle all those things too. But my job is to hope, believe, and live accordingly. Make me fearless, Lord. Teach me to pray fearlessly. Teach me to live fearlessly. My Jesus, You just keep getting better. Better than my wildest imaginations. Bigger, wilder, more loving, more powerful, more anything I than my finite mind can conceive. Thank You for being who You are, my King. And thank You for loving me. May I never get over it.

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