The power of Hope

 BY Argie Simonis

Love and faith are usually more important than hope. I would say that the concept of hope has been misunderstood. Hope is more important than faith, because faith without hope can not exist:

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for..." Hebrews 11:1

"For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man sees, why does he yet hope for?

But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." Romans 8:24-25 

In other words, hope means that you are looking at something that you cannot see. How can you do this? God has given us the ability of imagination, the ability to see with our heart things that our eyes can not see.

Have you ever thought that without this ability to imagine you could not even go home? This is because before you start, you "see" in your mind the way in the form of pictures.

Basically, we think with pictures. If I tell you the word "apple" you will not see the letters a-p-p-l-e, but you will literally "see" an apple. The better description I give you for this apple (red, big, glossy, etc.) the better this picture will be shaped inside you. You can not think of anything without first imagining it.

The formal definition of imagination is defined as the ability of iconography. I want to emphasize here that hope is very different from daydreaming or optimism or fantasy. Hope is not just a positive thought. Whenever the Bible speaks of imagination, or meditation of the heart in a positive way, it uses the word "hope". 

When Paul spoke of hope, he saw things with his heart. He took the promises of God, and through those promises, he saw himself succeeding in what he did.

Unfortunately, many people do not realize how important this is and they allow their imagination to be controlled by other things and see themselves failing. They see themselves as poor or sick.

But when you "see" and visualise within yourself God's promises for you, you will wait patiently (Rom. 8:25).

Those who have a negative imagination are the ones who quit and give in to their problems. They always see the negative side because they have no hope. Your life is determined by the way you think:

"For as he thinks in his heart, so is he" Prov. 23:7

Our imagination works like the soil. Whatever seed you sow, it will sprout. In the same way, the imagination captures something and makes it happen, whether it is positive or negative. It is something like a spiritual womb.

If we do not allow the Word of God to shape our imagination, the unbelief of the world will destroy it.

There is great power in hope. In fact, it is more important than faith and follows right after love:

"And now stays faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1Cor. 13:13 

If at this moment you are in hoplesness and despair, if you only see problems that come and choke you every day, I pray the Lord to help you focus on all the good that He has for you. I pray the hope will start burning inside of you. Hope in Him "who is the Christ in you, the hope of glory"! Col. 1:27