I often say that I don’t know how people live without faith—without Jesus, or without hope. And I mean that because hope is central to nearly everything in my life. Society uses the word hope casually and often. I hope this works out. I hope things get better. But do we pause long enough to ask what we really mean? Is that hope, or is it simply wishful thinking dressed up in polite language?
Real hope is something different. Real hope has weight to it. It can carry us through illness, heartache, fear, and uncertainty. It is the often-overlooked positive counterpart to every negative we face. I love the optimism surrounding the word, but the question that matters most is this: where does hope come from?
Hope Beyond Ourselves
For me, hope is not something we manufacture when life gets hard. It isn’t denial or positive thinking. I believe hope is grounded in something much deeper—something rooted in Scripture and in the character of God Himself. Romans 15:13 reminds us that God is the source of hope, not our circumstances or our ability to stay strong. Hebrews 11 shows us that faith and hope are intertwined—trusting God even when the outcome is uncertain. And Romans 5:3–5 tells us something that feels almost backward: hope is actually formed through perseverance and suffering, not in the absence of difficulty.
That truth has become deeply personal to me over the years.
Real hope has carried me through some of the hardest seasons of my life—the loss of my first pregnancy, the uncertainty of buying a home after a market collapse, and the fear that followed a job loss. In those moments, hope in something much bigger than me—bigger than well wishes, bigger than a hug or a pat on the back, bigger even than the support of friends—was what sustained me.
When Only God Could Carry the Weight
There were times when I was deeply thankful that the only one capable of carrying the weight of my struggle was the God of the universe. Everything else, while often well-intended, is fleeting. I didn’t need encouragement alone. I didn’t need optimism alone. I needed divine intervention. And I can say, with humility and gratitude, that it carried me through.
For Christians, hope is inseparable from restoration and salvation. It points beyond our present circumstances to the promise that God is still at work—redeeming, renewing, and restoring. But I also believe that even those who do not identify as believers still experience hope as a reflection of God’s design. God set this world into motion and created us with the capacity to hope. When people experience hope—real hope—they are benefiting from His goodness, whether they recognize the source or not.
Why Hope Matters in the Journey of Aging
As we talk about abundant aging, hope matters deeply. Aging brings change, loss, transition, and questions about purpose and identity. But hope reframes the journey. It reminds us that life remains meaningful, that suffering is not wasted, and that our stories are still unfolding.
Hope is not naïve. It does not ignore reality. Instead, it anchors us when reality feels heavy. And when hope is rooted in something eternal—when it is grounded in faith rather than circumstance—it becomes one of the most powerful forces we have.
That is the kind of hope I believe we are invited into. Not wishful thinking, but confident trust. Not fleeting comfort, but lasting assurance. And in every season of life, that hope makes all the difference.
