Confident Expectation

Secure Hope

Psalm 42

The Lord wants us to be people with desires and expectations that are motivating and enriching. But in this fallen world, the disappointment of some unrealized hopes is inevitable. How can we determine where to place our hope—and the way to respond if it’s not fulfilled?

Hope is secure when it is aligned with God’s desires, which are revealed in the Bible. However, our expectations are often based on wishes, feelings, and personal preferences—we yearn for job promotions, good health, or quick solutions to problems. Such desires can be strong, but we have no sure promise from God that they’re part of His will for us.

Disappointment with God has the potential to occur whenever our expectations do not coincide with His plan. Even when hope is based on a scriptural promise, the Lord may not fulfill it in the manner or timing we want. Although God appears inactive, He is moving behind the scenes, preparing us for the future.

The key to contentment and joy lies in placing all subjective hopes under the umbrella of our ultimate hope in the Lord. Keep in mind that God is sovereign and good—He always wants what is best for us and never makes a mistake. His ways are higher than ours and often beyond human understanding.

From a limited and fallen perspective, we may be like a five-year-old who wants candy at every meal. Sometimes God has to dash our hopes in order to give us what He knows is best. Ask Him to clarify and direct your desires to coincide with His way. Then rest in His goodness and keep your hope in Him.
-Charles Stanley