A Year of Hope

Last January, upon the arrival of a shiny, new 2009, I asked my good friend Shauna what her New Year's resolution was. To be honest, I expected a token answer like, "to read the Bible all the way through" or "to exercise more often". Instead, she told me that in lieu of a resolution, she gave each new year a theme. I thought her tradition was a brilliant and refreshing one, and so this year, when 2010 loomed, I declared that it would be "the Year of No Fear".

It's Tuesday, January 7th, and so far 2010 has felt like it might morph into "the Year of Waiting". Waiting for guidance about moving home, waiting for the next big step in my life, waiting on wisdom for my job situation, waiting for a commission check, waiting for an answer back from my boss about a possible raise... If we're not careful, it's very easy to feel overwhelmed and worried while waiting; which, of course, goes against the very theme of "no fear".

Fear stems from a lack of hope and faith, and since hope and faith are so closely related, we may deduce that hope is a key ingredient in the Christian life. In fact, faith is impossible to achieve without it. As fragile as hope can be, our souls need it in order to survive. It's no coincidence that hope makes almost anything bearable, and that without it, we feel helpless, alone, and defeated.

We live in a world that tempts us to invest in the hope of earthly wealth, financial security, fruitful relationships, and personal success. And certainly, there is nothing wrong with striving for these things-- within reason. But what happens when we are lacking in all of them, especially in such uncertain times?

The Bible reminds us that our greatest hope is a living one, found in the person of Jesus Christ. Think about that adjective for a moment; hope that is living, thriving. It's profound and wonderful, and it means that this hope is independent of the world and of us. Nothing can take it away, no disappointment can rob us of it.

Wise David, a man after God's own heart, filled his eloquent Psalms with reminders of the importance of relying on God for our hope:

Psalm 33:20 "We wait in hope for the LORD; he is our help and our shield."

Psalm 39:7 "But now, Lord, what do I look for? My hope is in you."

Psalm 52:9 "I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good."

Psalm 130:5 "I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I put my hope."

In that last verse, waiting and hope are mentioned in the same sentence. How's that for a revelation? ;) Hoping is a huge part of waiting, from which blooms faith both in the Lord and His promises. Isn't it a relief to know that, whatever His answer, the Lord, our hope, is with us during even the most anxious and agonizing periods of waiting?

The March 8, 2006 entry of Our Daily Bread, A Living Hope relates the following: "Anticipating what God has in store for us can put a smile in our heart. Hope gives us poise and lets us live with inner strength, because we know that one day we will be dramatically different than we are now."

We spend much of our earthly lives waiting and worrying, focusing on our human timelines rather than God's divine plans. Waiting on the Lord forces us to abandon our selfish need for control and rely on Him for His provision and promises. It's a difficult spiritual exercise to relinquish and let go, but once it's managed, reliance on our Living Hope is a joy.

That's what I'm striving for this year. After all, 2010 can't be without fear if I don't have hope as a solid foundation. All good things begin with it, and placing our hope in a mighty and merciful king will fortify us as we wait for the future He has in store.

I can't help but smile as I'm typing this (as I hover in a holding pattern in many areas of my life) because, I know I'll re-read this entry many times for encouragement. So instead of "No Fear", I declare 2010 to be "a Year of Hope" as I turn over my beautiful dreams and goals to God, recognizing that He'll infuse me with His unfailing hope and love.