not put to shame

Last week I shared about kindness. It was actually one of my favourite pieces to write, because it forced me to dig deep into scripture, instead of just looking around my normal life for inspiration. I wanted to continue that today, looking at the word hope.

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5:1-5 

It was this verse that I went to first when I started looking at the word hope. This idea, this truth, that hope doesn't put us to shame. I'm reminded yet again that our God is not one of shame, and He doesn't call us to things that will shame us; at least not in His eyes. Our world will look at us with cruelty, the same cruelty our God faced when He came to earth. So we can remain hopeful in Him because He understands our weaknesses. God understands that our suffering will give us endurance, and our endurance will give us character, and our character will give us hope.

For me, I'd really like my hope to increase. So if that means I need to suffer more, I tentatively raise my hand and ask God for more suffering. So very tentatively.

The ESV Bible shares of hope 148 times.  Those are a lot of times. 

Nadine actually means hope or hopeful one. Something in me has always been drawn to the word. Naming my future children excites me, because I want to give them a name that will be filled with purpose.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:23

Hope is so essential to the life of a believer in Christ. We look forward with hope. 

Hope means to desire with confidence. Isn't that amazing? We have a confidence in this desire. It's the perfect description of how I look to Jesus.

Hope really is a beautiful thing. I shared over on Amber's blog a couple weeks ago about faith, hope, and love. Among other things, I wrote "hope is a beautiful trust, a beautiful waiting for what you've heard to meet fruition".

So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
1 Corinthians 13:13

I'm so excited for my hope to be complete in Christ.

Definition of hope typically are linked with the word trust.

I'm so excited for my trust to be complete in Christ.

For you, O Lord, are my hope,
        my trust, O LORD, from my youth.
Psalm 71:5

Despair is an antonym of hope.

I'm so excited for my despair to end in Christ.

And now, O Lord, for what do I wait?
        My hope is in you.
Psalm 39:7

Long story short, I'm so excited for my hope to reach actuality, and I know that it will because of Christ.

I am so very excited and overwhelmed to meet Jesus face to face.

What do you hope in? What does hope mean to you? Do you find it hard to hope?