I hope this horrible situation ends soon.

I hope she’ll keep her word.

I hope my new job works out.

In a perfect world, we wouldn’t need to hope. But in this broken world, we hope all the time. We hope things will get better, work out, go our way. Our hopes are pinned to imperfect people and circumstances, so they often shrivel like an old balloon. We learn to hedge our bets.

Does that kind of “iffy” hope creep into our faith lives? “I sure hope God will provide my daily bread . . . forgive my sins . . . see me through this challenge.” Iffy wishing is not what Paul was describing when he wrote, “And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. And hope does not put us to shame” (Romans 5:2,5).

That kind of hope isn’t centered in things or people. It’s a hope that boasts in God. We can replace the word hope with the words certain confidence. We have certain confidence in God’s glory, and that confidence won’t disappoint. Not because our confidence is unshakeable but because our God is. 

If you’re still hedging your hopes, go back to the cross. Christ hung there in our place, to win our peace with God. His gift of peace gives us hope—certain confidence—that God’s unshakeable, glorious grace will provide for us on earth and deliver us safely to heaven.

If your hope fails you, it’s because it’s the wrong hope. Hope in the Savior; God will never disappoint.