Hope for 2024

 

It is natural to begin the new year with thoughts of goals, hope and expectation. It is natural too for that hope to be mixed with a degree of apprehension. Often it feels like there is more that is unknown about a year than what is known. I think that our comfortability with the unknowns is part of why it is common to begin a new year with resolutions or intentions. While we know that we cannot see the future or fully anticipate all that will happen in the coming year, we can feel some sense of security in know what we plan to focus on, hope to accomplish and set as our goals or purposes. Setting goals or making resolutions for the new year assumes that you have some measure of motivation and joy as you begin the year.

I recently listened to a message by Steve Backlund and was challenged by his call to begin the year with hope. I consider myself to be a hopeful person. I try to focus on what is going well and allow that to encourage me in the places where I am tempted to become discouraged. But there are certainly areas where it is more difficult for me to be full of hope. As I listened to the message, I was challenged to consider individual areas or aspects of life. How much hope do I have for my relationships, my family, my work, my finances?  I discovered that there are areas in my life where I have a lot of hope, and yet others where I have very little. Being hopeful about one specific area doesn’t really impact my lack of hope in another area. I was puzzled and challenged by this.

Steve Backlund defines hope in this way: “Hope is an overall optimistic attitude about the future based on the goodness and promises of God.” I appreciate this definition and the way that it focuses on God. As a Christian, my hope is in God. Hope is not wishful thinking or general optimism. Hope is based on God and the potential that exists because of Him. When I hope for something, it is not based on my ability to “make it happen”, it is based on God and His ability and willingness. That’s a huge distinction!

That simple but critical clarification has brought me a great deal of freedom. I am not placing the burden of expectation on myself to change or advance any area of my life… But I am placing hope in God that He will cause me to grow and even that He could transform circumstances in my life in specific areas. There is freedom from the pressure to have an answer to the questions and unknowns in areas of life where I struggle to be hopeful. In places where I don’t know what to do or how adverse circumstances could change for the better, I can return to Steve’s definition of hope and re-focus my thoughts on God. I can look in scripture and in the times of prayer when I’ve heard God whisper His promises to me. That is where I place my hope and pull my encouragement from. I don’t have to know or understand how it will change or work out. I am hoping, believing that God knows!  I am trusting Him and placing my hope in Him. That trust allows me to be hopeful as I wait because I am focused on His goodness, His ability and His promises.  It is not an empty hope! I am convinced of the faithfulness, character and love of God. I can watch with confident expectation for the fulfillment of His promises.

My hope is not in what will happen, but rather who will cause it to happen. I can begin the year with hopes because I know and believe in the goodness of God.