The hope

SUMMARY: Hope is a state of mind in which we believe what we want or need is possible. Faith and hope go hand in hand, as faith is the certainty of what is hoped for. Jesus teaches that having faith can move mountains and whatever we ask in prayer, believing, we will receive. However, we must trust in God's sovereignty and wisdom, as He knows what is best for us. Having hope promotes positive attitudes that create favorable circumstances and help us achieve our dreams. Even in the worst of times, we can hope in God's presence and salvation.

A listener to my radio program 'Messages of Faith and Hope', TransMundial Radio, asked me to define the word hope. I replied that it was a state of mind through which we assumed as possible what we wanted or needed. Since the Bible teaches that faith is the certainty of what is hoped for, the conviction of what is not seen (Hebrews 11: 1), it seems that faith and hope always go hand in hand.

A few words of Jesus confirm it: Have faith in God. For truly I say to you that whoever says to this mountain: Get away and cast yourself into the sea, and will not doubt in his heart, but will believe that what he says will be done, what he says will be done to him (Mark 11: 22-23) . We cannot take these words literally and believe that we are going to destroy mountains just by wishing and saying so, as some claim. But there is tremendous force in believing what we want or need to happen is possible. Jesus also said: And whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive (Matthew 21:22).