But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.—Micah 7:7 (NIV)

One can only hope. I read this line of dialogue in a novel recently, and it made me think about that expression. Our culture typically uses hope to mean that we wish for something to happen, but it often conveys an element of doubt. 

What a far cry from the Hebrew and Greek words translated as hope in the Bible. Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV) includes hope in a succinct definition of faith: “. . . the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Even devoted Christ followers can have bouts of doubt, but deep down we know what we hope for is a sure thing. 

When the object of my hope is Jesus, it’s more than a feeling; it’s a reality—one that affects my past, present, and future. When I cringe at something shameful from my past, I don’t have to hope it’s been forgiven. I have the promise that when I confess, He forgives (1 John 1:9). When worries about my present circumstances invade my thoughts, there’s no need to simply hope things will get better. I can rest in the assurance that God will work everything out for my good (Romans 8:28). Any anxiety about the unknown future can be soothed by remembering that Jesus is preparing an eternal home for me (Revelation 21). In light of all these promises, a better expression would be: one can only believe.

Faith Step: What situation in your life makes you feel hopeless? Read Micah 7:7 as a prayer to Jesus. Ask Him to make this promise the foundation of your life.