Day 4: Lessons in Waiting Part 1 = Hope

Hope is one of those things you either have or don't. You can't see it or touch it.  It's a belief you have deep in your heart.  Its roots are tied to faith.  For without faith one can't believe there is a God.  Without a God why would you need hope?  God is Hope.  In Him hope is secure. By waiting I have discovered that there are many layers of hope.  I was given the opportunity to wait, well not exactly.  I didn't really have a choice.  It was forced rest that required me to wait patiently on God to intervene in a mighty way a multitude of times.

Layer One
Hope has this uncanny ability to well up within us and draw us to a new level of inner peace.  It's this inner peace that comes in the form of a gift.  It takes us up and over our circumstances and lets us soar in the midst of adversity.  Others may look in wonder and scratch their heads in amazement at our calm demeanor.  What they don't understand is that this first layer of hope rests in our faith, which rests upon Christ alone.

"Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" 1 Peter 1:3

Layer Two
Now once we have established our hope is based upon personal faith we can move into truly owning it.  This requires some spiritual muscle flexing. When you can't use words to explain what you believe in your heart you say to yourself or to someone, "I just know that I know that I know."  That's it.  Simple.  Straight and to the point.  It has moved the twelve inches from head to heart.  This is where the battle begins.  Hope is constantly under attack in the brain. This is why we must be in tune to the Word.

"But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet." 1 Thessalonians 5:8

Hope must be worn as a helmet to shield our minds from the lies the enemy sends.  We know from the Word that our Hope is in a future prepared for us...waiting.  There it is.  The Hope of glory is waiting for us to arrive in heaven.  (Colossians 1:27)

Layer Three
Hope breeds encouragement to our spirits.  The exact opposite is what tends to happen when our hope is deflated.  We become discouraged and possibly apathetic to our situation.  Through my journey of chemotherapy treatments and doctor appointments I had many set backs.  Several times appointments to receive treatments did not pan out.  I had to arrive at a certain time to get a blood draw. Then wait the 45 minutes for lab results.  Then wait around some more for Doctors to give the pharmacy and nurses their orders.  Some days I was told to go home, other days the machines were broken and no tests could be taken.

"And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.  No only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." Romans 5:2-5

It is the Holy Spirit who places this seed, this gift of Hope with in us.  It's a promise we get to carry around with us while we wait with great anticipation.

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful." Hebrews 10:23

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

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace, in believing that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13