Hold on in Hope: Bible Verses About Hope

This is a picture of handholding a heart-shaped blue-grey rock with the word "Hope" on it to symbolizing that we must hold on in hope.

“I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.” That’s an iconic line from Wimpy Wellington, a cash-strapped glutton of a character from the old Popeye cartoons. Of course, both the other characters and the audience knew that Wimpy never had any intention of paying – on Tuesday or any other day. He just wanted a free meal. As Christians, we live in a world full of battles, tests, and troubles. We have the hope of a glorious future with God in which there will be no more sorrow and no more pain. But when the world is right up in our faces, the future promises of God can start to feel so very far away, almost like that elusive “Tuesday.” This week, the Lord used a song from my childhood to remind me that God’s promised future IS coming. We just have to hold on in hope until then.

Party Like It’s 1999

I was a preteen when Prince’s famous song “1999” was released. The year was 1982. At the time, 1999 felt so far away. I remember singing it at the top of my lungs and thinking to myself that in seventeen years I would be “old” – almost 30! At the time, it felt like that future year would “never” come.

But just like the times I thought summer would “never get here,” it always did. And the times I felt like it would be “forever” until I turned 16, 18, or 21; it wasn’t. Today as I write this, the year 1999 is a full 25 years in the past. Those feelings of “never” and “forever” were all an illusion.

In fact, time marches toward and even past all the milestones we look forward to (or dread) in life. It marches when we’re happy, and it marches when we’re sad. Whether we feel like we’re crawling or flying through our days, they ARE ticking by one by one to a future that is inevitable.

Even the song “1999” itself attests to this fact. It’s a YOLO (You Only Live Once) song about judgment day. It’s about having a good time now because life is guaranteed to end. In fact, the lyrics say it all. “Life is just a party, and parties weren’t meant to last.” And in another part, “We could all die any day, aw. But before I let that happen, I’ll dance my life away.”

Christians Don’t Dance; They Occupy

But while the world is dancing, Christians have a job to do for the Lord. We must occupy until He comes and be faithful to be about the Lord’s business. But how do we do that when the troubles and trials wash over us like waves leaving us breathless? We must remember that the hopeless, never-ending feeling that seems so suffocating at times is a lie from the enemy. Things won’t always be the way they are now. In the meantime, we must hold on in hope.

Hold on in Hope.

“In biblical terms, when faith is directed to the future, you can call it hope.”

Desiring God

Hope itself is precious. That’s why the enemy works so hard to take it from us. When hope escapes us, only discouragement and doubt are left in its place. We must make a concerted effort to hold on in hope. Here are some Bible verses that will help us.

Rejoice and Pray

“Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.” (Romans 12:12)
“By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (Romans 5:2)

God Will Help Us

“Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.” (Romans 15:13)

“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” (Romans 5:5)

“Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD. (Psalm 31:24)

“The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.” (Proverbs 10:28)

Hope Is Part of Faith.

“For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?” (Romans 8:24)
“But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. (Romans 8:25)
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

Remember God’s Favor for Those Who Hope

“Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in his mercy.” (Psalm 33:18)

“The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that hope in his mercy.” (Psalm 147:11)

The Promise of Reward

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)

“The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.” (Ephesians 1:18)

“To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27)

“Or saith He it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.” (1 Corinthians 9:10)

“That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” (Titus 3:7)

“There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; (Ephesians 4:4)

God Is Our Hope

“Be not a terror unto me: thou art my hope in the day of evil.” (Jeremiah 17:17)
“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. (Psalm 42:11)
“The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in Him.” (Lamentations 3:24)
“Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in Thee.” (Psalm 33:22)
“And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in Thee.” (Psalm 39:7)
“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.” (Jeremiah 17:7)

Trust in God’s Word

“Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in Thy Word.” (Psalm 119:114)
“Remember the Word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope.” (Psalm 119:49)
“In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began” (Titus 1:2)
“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” (Romans 15:4)
“I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in His Word do I hope.” (Psalm 130:5)

We May Rest in Hope

“Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. (Psalm 16:9)
“Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope:” (Acts 2:26)

What Can We Do Now?

“And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure.” (1 John 3:3)
“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” (1 Peter 3:15)

Our Promised Future Will Come

“Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.”
Proverbs 13:12

Waiting is never easy, but God’s promises are sure. While at times it feels that our trials will “never” be over or the pain of this life will last “forever,” it’s just a lie. The truth is that there is a day coming soon in which our troubles on earth will be but a distant memory. In the meantime, we can hold on in hope because the Lord who promised is faithful.

If you like to look closely at scripture through analogies, try Bible Verses About Those Who Know God (and Those Who Don’t) Please sign up to receive my blog in your email inbox. You can find that at the upper right of your screen (or at the bottom on a phone). Also, check out my YouTube Channel where I read the blogs out loud and have a playlist of hymns.