No person, from a Christ-follower to a staunch atheist, is exempt from the challenges and struggles that come along with the journey through this life.  Still, I think one of the biggest differences between the Christ-followers and those who are not – is that the Christ-follower has access to an incredible source of hope. This type of hope is powerful. It makes a difference. It is a key component of the Christian life.

 True, most people “hope” for something. Some hope for good health. Some hope that they win the lottery. These kinds of hope are expressions of our wants. The Christian variety of hope however is much deeper. Our Christian hope is called a “living hope” in the Scripture. It is grounded upon the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:3). The Christian’s hope is more than just a fanciful wish. It’s the assurance that God will keep his promises to us. We read in Hebrews 10:23, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.” This hope gives us the reason to face tomorrow with confidence. 

If you are a parent who feels like you’ve suffered more than your fair share of pain and suffering perhaps due to the actions of your kids, you might feel like a failure. You might feel like there is no hope for you or your kids in sight. Let me share some special words of encouragement. If you can raise your head above the waterline of your pain for just a moment and look to the Lord as your source of strength and hope, I believe you will find relief for your suffering. Romans 8:18 reads, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Let this be a clear message that better days are coming. God is concerned about your suffering. He doesn’t want you to spend your life in agony. He wants you to reach out for Him. He is the “God of all comfort” according to the Scriptures (2 Corinthians 1:3). I wholeheartedly believe that there will come a time when your present suffering will mean very little when compared with the great things God will do in your life – including sharing the comfort and hope you yourself will experience – with others who need it!

There is also tremendous hope for your children. If they have suffered due to rebellion and isolation, through the demonstration of the hope evident in your life, they may also decide to rely upon the Lord.

Regardless of your family circumstance, as a parent, you can give your kids a tremendous gift by sharing hope with them. Passing along hope is a wonderful legacy. It begins, of course, by modeling the Christian life openly before your children. You plant these seeds of hope in their lives as you respond with hope even in the midst of life’s most difficult challenges. By the way, this doesn’t mean you have to be perfect! Many of the rough times in life can knock us off balance. Hope doesn’t mean we don’t experience pain, suffering and loss. Hope does mean, however, that even in tough times, as best as we know how, we exhibit trust that God holds our future in His hands – and that our ultimate future—in heaven—is secure.  When we allow God’s hope to fill our lives, it will never let us down. Romans 5:5, reads, “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

Let me leave you with some practical characteristics of people who exhibit the power of hope:

• Hopeful people are optimistic. They look for the best in situations or people instead of picking out the worst.

• Hopeful people focus on the future not on the past. They look forward to opening new doors when other doors have closed.

• Hopeful people view problems as opportunities.

• Hopeful people have a real view of circumstances, but refuse to resort to cynicism.

• Hopeful people understand that God still cares for them in the midst of difficult situations.