Are We Hoping For or Hoping In

What happens when what we’re hoping for… doesn’t happen?

In this episode of Our Journey to Hope, we explore the powerful difference between hoping for something and hoping in Someone. Drawing from 1 Peter 1:3–5, we’re reminded that while our circumstances may change, our hope does not have to.

It’s natural to hope for better days, restored relationships, or answers to prayer. But when our hope is tied only to outcomes, it can feel fragile and uncertain. God offers something deeper—a living hope anchored in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Join us as we discover how shifting our focus from what we’re hoping for to who we’re hoping in brings stability, peace, and confidence—no matter what we face.

If you’ve ever felt discouraged when life didn’t unfold the way you expected, this episode will gently remind you: your hope is not lost… it’s secure.

Because true hope isn’t found in outcomes—it’s found in Christ.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:04

Today I want to look at two different views of hope. I want to look at the difference between hoping for something and hoping in someone. Because one can leave us disappointed and the other will never fail us. Most of us spend time hoping for things. We hope for better days, good health, restoring relationships, financial stability, and peace in uncertain times. And there's nothing wrong with those desires. They are real. They matter. But here's the challenge. When our hope is only in what we're hoping for, it becomes fragile. Because when we're hoping, because what we're hoping for doesn't always happen the way we expect. And when that happens, it can feel like hope itself has led us down. One of my favorite passages in Scripture about true and lasting hope is found in 1 Peter chapter 1 verses 3 through 5. Peter writes, Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. This passage introduces us to something deeper than wishful thinking. It introduces us to a living hope. And that leads us to an important distinction hoping for versus hoping in. Well let's start with hoping for. Again, nothing wrong with this understanding. Hope for is outcome based. It says I hope things work out. I hope things get better. I hope this turns around. These are natural expressions of the heart. But hoping for is tied to circumstances, and circumstances change. It's like building your emotional and spiritual stability on shifting sand. If the outcome changes, your hope feels shaken. And if we're not careful, we begin to measure God's goodness by whether we received what we were hoping for. Now, let's look at hoping in. Peter points us to something stronger, not to something, but to someone. He says we have been born again into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That is hoping in. Not hope in an outcome, not hope in a timeline, not hope in circumstances, but hope in the character of God, the finished work of Christ, the promise that cannot fade. Let's look at why this is a living hope. This hope is living because it's anchored in a risen Savior, not a temporary situation. It grows stronger, not weaker with time. It sustains us even when outcomes don't change. And Peter goes further. He says this hope leads to an inheritance that is imperishable. It cannot be destroyed. It is undefiled, it cannot be corrupted. It is unfading. It will not diminish. That's not fragile hope. That's secure hope. That's true and lasting hope. Let's look at it this way. When I'm hoping for something, I'm saying things will be okay if this works out. When I'm hoping in Christ, I'm saying because of who he is, I will be okay no matter how this turns out. That is a completely different foundation. Well maybe today you're carrying something heavy, or perhaps you know someone who is. You or that someone may be hoping for an answer, a breakthrough, a change. And it hasn't come, or at least not yet. Well, let me gently encourage you, don't let the delay in what you're hoping for cause you to lose sight of who you're hoping in. Because our living hope is not dependent on the outcome. It is secured by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Notice something else in the passage from Peter. He says that we are being guarded by God's power through faith. That means we're not holding hope together. God is holding us. Our strength isn't the source of hope. His power is. Even when our grip feels weak, his hold is strong. So how do we live this out? Well here are three simple things to keep in mind. First, acknowledge what you're hoping for. Be honest with God. He already knows your heart. Second, anchor yourself in who you're hoping in. Remind yourself daily of God's character and promises. And third, rest in what is already secure, your salvation, your identity, your eternal future. These are not at risk. God has promised them to those who come to Him. If you have not turned to Christ, do so without delay. You must start to believe Jesus is our Lord and Master, and forgiveness for our sins is found only through Him. We must commit to turning away from our previous life, the living one dedicated to Christ. We must be baptized, symbolizing the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. This places us in Christ, and we must follow through by living as our master calls us to. When we do that, we discover true and lasting hope found in the faithfulness of God. Well, as I begin to wrap up, remember, hope for may change with the seasons, but hoping in Christ anchors us for every season. And that is the kind of hope that carries us forward. Friends, thank you for walking this journey with me. Until next time, let's keep moving forward together through hope. If this episode encouraged you, share it with someone who may need hope today and remind them no one walks alone. And remember, in all things, we give glory to God the Father.