A Hope That Will Never Disappoint

Romans 8 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. Each time I read, it’s like the Lord unpeels another layer of truth that is eternal in its implications and nitty-gritty practical in its application.

The most recent time, I was desperate for some help from God. “Lord, I need something today. I’m not just reading to feel good as a Christian. I need to hear from You.” And, because He is so good to hear our heart-cries and meet our needs, He answered.

The answer was in verse 25. But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

We think of hope like this: “I hope it doesn’t rain today.” “I hope that it works out to have you over for lunch.” “I hope that someday I can take a trip to Europe.” It’s a desire, the fulfilment of which is uncertain.

However, that is not the way the Bible uses the word. Hope, the way God defines it, is a confident expectation that God will fulfil His promises. There is nothing uncertain or doubtful about it.

Recently, a message was preached at my church about what God wants for us. And—contrary to our typical thinking—it is not a successful life, the perfect family, job, or ministry. God’s desire for us is that through every experience of our life, we learn the spiritual lesson He is trying to teach. He wants us to be made more and more like Jesus.

God’s word continues in verses 26-29. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Sometimes we may pray very fervently for something, and God allows that earthly hope to be disappointed. It may seem that He doesn’t hear or care, but that’s never the case. What if the Spirit, Who knows the will of God (which may be completely opposite of our will) is making intercession for us…and what seems like a cruel refusal is actually one of God’s greatest gifts to us?

While verse 28 is frequently quoted and claimed, the context is not earthly success or blessing. Rather, God’s purpose—for which He works all things together for good—is that we are conformed to the image of His Son. And He can use even the hard disappointments of life to fulfil that purpose.

My friends, things here may or may not get better or “work out,” but we look ahead to an eternal hope.

I’d like here to share a practical tip for your walk with God. We should hold the hope of heaven before us daily. I love to listen to songs (and sing) about seeing Jesus face to face. He is our hope, and regardless of what our life here on earth may be, we have the certainty of dwelling with Him for all eternity. That will comfort, convict, and motivate you!

At that time, His purpose for us will be complete. We know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is (1 John 3:4).

And so, we wait with patience. We can wait because we know, beyond a shadow of doubt, that this will come to pass. He is faithful Who promised.

Until then, what do we have? Not a certainty that our lives will be perfect, that our dreams will be fulfilled, that our families will be whole, or that we’ll never face sorrow. In fact, it may all be the opposite. But we do have a confident hope in the One Who will never fail us, and we do have a beautiful promise:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?…Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For i am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord (vv. 35, 37-39).