Why do we need hope?

This is a special time of year, this Easter season. It reminds me that there is hope even amid the crushing black pit of despair. Because even when we don’t know the answer to the problems we face, we can at least trust that there is one. Because of Him.

What is hope?

Hope to me is confidence that things will get better, that wrongs will be made right, that good will win out. It is trusting that God will keep his promises, that as we follow Him the blessings will eventually come. It is believing that because of Jesus, everything will work out in the end, even if that end doesn’t come until after this life.

Perhaps you trust in the universe, some unknown source of good, the innate goodness of humanity, something else entirely, or nothing at all. In any case, without hope life would be dreary indeed.

In essence, hope is trusting that, in the end, it’s going to be okay.

We need hope because life is hard. It just plain is. Sometimes things are going smoothly, but a lot of the time they aren’t. Most of the time, if you want something good to happen, you have to put in a lot of work to make it happen. Weeds, trials, and catastrophes will come from thin air; the good stuff usually doesn’t.

And even when you put in the work, sometimes things don’t improve. Sometimes you feel lost, stuck in the same old rut, trapped in a cage with no way out. Sometimes you give it your all, and your all just isn’t enough.

Life is also often unfair. I’ve seen people face awful trials through no fault of their own. Your brain betrays you, your body betrays you, your family betrays you, God Himself seems to betray you. Far too many terrible things happen on dear old planet earth that you wouldn’t wish on your worst enemy. Nobody deserves them, but they happen anyway.

Sometimes, life is absolutely miserable, and there is no logical reason to think it will get any better.

Why do we need hope? Because without it, life is hopeless.

How does hope help us?

Hope reminds us that things will work out, that we’ve seen things work out before. Hope helps us to hang on just a little longer. To keep trying and not give up. Hope helps us to do our part to help the miracles happen, to create the bright future we know can exist.

How can we gain more hope?

We can remember blessings and miracles we’ve seen before.
We can read about miracles that others have experienced (such as those accounts found in the scriptures).
We can pray for faith and hope.
We can serve to bring hope to others.
We can choose to trust in God.
We can reach out to others and remember we are not alone.
We can choose to hold on even when we can’t see the light, even when the darkness seems to be endless.

What do we hope for?

We hope that our situation can and will improve. We hope that promised blessings are coming. We hope that our efforts are not fruitless. We hope that we can hold on till help comes. We hope that all will be made right.

How can stories share hope?

I don’t know about you, but every time I watch The Two Towers, I love that moment when Gandalf shows up to save the day. (Sorry! Spoiler Alert!) He told them they just had to hold on until first light of the fifth day. Then, all Isengard broke loose and pounded on them for days. One by one, their defenses broke down, their warriors were killed, and they were forced to retreat. Finally, backed into their final keep, the uruks breaking down the door, they still choose to keep fighting. They hold out for that unknown help Gandalf said he’d provide.

They’ve hit their darkest hour. They can’t keep going. But because they have hope, they give it one last push, and because of Gandalf’s epic rescue, that last effort is just enough. Help comes, and they snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

Or Aslan on the stone table. I still remember holding one of my children after we read about his death at the hands of the White Witch. They cried so hard; it just broke their heart. The One who could save everyone had just died. Hope seemed lost. And then He rose again. Hope came back.

We need stories to remind us that there is always hope. Because life is hard, and sometimes it seems like the darkness will last forever. Sometimes we think we’ll never see the sun.

We need good stories to remind us of the truth contained in the Good Book, the truth that tells of Another who died and rose again. The One who overcame death and Hell itself. Because of Him, there is always hope.

Happy Easter, y’all.