For me, a new year often brings with it opportunities to reflect on my values, on goals already achieved and the direction of my life.
As I come to the end of my holidays, I took some time out to ponder on how I envision 2024 to look like.
It made me realise how much hope a new beginning often brings to all of us; whether it’s hoping for a new job, new home, new car or new relationships.
The Essence of Hope
Greg Ganssle, Professor of Philosophy, defines hope as:
“Hope is largely future oriented, but it is a present construal about my future. . . . My present ability to navigate the world with confidence requires that I construe my future as good. Thus cultivating hope is not an escapist strategy to avoid the present. It is, rather, essential to navigating life now.”
The essence of hope has been the one element that has seen me through despair and dark times in my life. I have held onto hope like someone holds onto a lifebuoy when they have found themselves in deep water.
Life was really difficult when I was growing up from the moment I was born. You name it and I might have gone through it.
However, hope came to me at the age of 14 through a dear aunt of mine who gifted me with two books that I dived into endlessly.
One of those two books was the Bible, I can’t convey enough how much my mindset was completely changed from that moment on.
The circumstances of my life didn’t change, but I now had a weapon called hope! Hope for a better life!
More importantly than a mindset was recognising the supreme source of that new hope that engulfed my little heart back then. I discovered real hope through the Word of God. Verses like the one below became my mantra:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Other inspirations I turn to are:
“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
My favourite one, which describes hope as the anchor of our soul:
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure…” Hebrews 6:19
Source of Hope for 2024
As the new year rolls in, I hope that you will get to discover the hidden treasures of hope in Jesus. It is amazing how encouraging and refreshing He is for your soul.
We can all hope for a better future, a better outcome or a better life; but it is the source of that hope that ultimately matters the most.
If the foundation of hope is from above, I assure you that you will be set free and experience peace and joy like never before; a very different hope from how the world perceives it to be.
