How Can We Have Hope?

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

How is it possible to have hope in what seems to be such a hopeless time?  The world today is filled with sickness, panic, financial turmoil, people losing their jobs, people dying, and deep political unrest.  People have lost faith, lost hope, and are relying on anything they can for the answer to the question I asked above.  How is it possible to have hope in what seems to be such a hopeless time?

In the book of Jeremiah, the Prophet was writing to God’s people that were in a very similar situation to where we find ourselves today.  The Israelites had been captured and taken from their homes and were living as exiles in Babylon.  They were afraid, uneasy, and unsure of what the future held.  The purpose of this letter was to reassure the Israelites that God had not forgotten them and that He would never abandon them.

The same is true for us today, even in times like this, God hasn’t left his throne, He hasn’t forgotten about us, and He hasn't given up control. God’s plan for our welfare and good does not mean that everyday on this earth will be a holiday. No, in fact, God is very clear that in this life we will face trials of various kinds (James 1:2). But God is also clear that He is in control.  He knows every hair on our heads (Luke 12:7) and has a sovereign plan for our lives.

I grew up under the preaching of Pastor Dan’s father, Pastor Betters.  Pastor Betters would drill into us a simple phrase that couldn’t be more theologically deep or accurate, “God is sovereign and you can trust Him.” This is where our hope comes from.  God is in complete control of our situation AND God can be completely trusted.  Since these are both true and God has clearly communicated in His word that His plan is for our welfare, not for evil,  and that we have a future, there is nothing in this world that could provide us with more hope than that.  We have hope because we can trust God, we can trust God because He is Good and He is Sovereign.