Hope
An acronym I developed for hope is:
H – Harbor
O – Only
P – Positive
E – Expectations
Hope is helpful, but it’s missing an essential component.
Trust
Trust is more than hope, because it’s underpinned by confidence.
If I trust someone to accomplish something I’ve requested, it means that I’m confident the person has the ability, willingness, and power to accomplish the task.
And Something Even Better
I’m grateful when I have hope.
But trust is more important.
Because if I have ONLY hope and not trust, deep down I still worry about what’s going to happen. And I obsess about it, or keep trying to figure out what I can do to make sure things work out the way I want.
God has proven He’s trustworthy. Constantly and consistently.
And yet, there are times when I still have difficulty trusting. Because I’m afraid He won’t do what I want in my way. I forget God’s way will always be better than my way. Not trusting God and forgetting that His way is best is painful and shameful for me to admit.
But I’m grateful I can ask God to help me trust Him. And He will.
And when I trust God, I have the confidence that He’s the Only Someone who has the ability, willingness, and power to help me in every situation.
Then that confidence generates something even better:
The peace that God loves me and is always with me.
What helps you trust?
Hope And Trust – What helps you trust? Share on XJoni Vance is an award-winning author of fiction, essay, and poetry. She loves mystery, history, and how God reveals Himself every day.
May God reveal the mystery of His love in your life story.
I have to constantly guide my heart to trust, because God tells me to in His word.
Thanks for reading, Jane. I appreciate your reminder that a relationship with God and the hope and trust we have is nurtured and maintained by constantly reaching out to Him.
Faith, trust, and hope–we can always depend on our Father. He is faithful and trustworthy, and therein lies our hope. Thank you, Joni.
Thanks for reading and sharing, Katherine. I, too, am thankful God is faithful to keep His Word.
When our hope is based on God’s promises, we can trust He will do what He says.
Thanks for the reminder, Phyllis. So thankful God is faithful and does what He says He will do.
Studying God’s letter to me, the Bible. This excellent point is demonstrated repeatedly in Scripture.
Thanks for reading and sharing, Jessica.
My hope is not based on a feeling, but a confidence in what I believe to be true. There is no doubt in hope. I agree it is closely aligned with trust and faith. Thank you for this post, Joni.
Thank you for reading and sharing, Tim. I appreciate your perspective and your support.
Faith. My faith allows me to trust that God’s got everything under his control, whether I understand it or not.
Thank you for your insights, Tim. I appreciate you reading and responding. And I’m always grateful for the reminder that God is in control.