hope n. a feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.
optimism n. a disposition to expect the most favorable outcome.
Most of us who volunteer for Convention of States do so because we have an expectation that our efforts will result in a positive change for our country.
At the same time, those expectations may be assaulted from time to time with concerns or even fears that the movement will not succeed and our nation will disintegrate into tyranny.
What do you call the positive expectation that sustains us in this battle? Would you describe it as “hope” or “optimism”?
Maybe you’ve thought of these two words as pretty much synonymous. They both evoke a sense of positive expectation.
But from a theological point of view, they are rather different things.
Optimism can be a personality trait. Some people have a natural tendency to look on the sunny side of life, or have developed the ability to think in terms of the “glass half full.”
More often, optimism is based on circumstances. A big endorsement, the results of an election, or passage of the COS resolution in a key state gives us tangible reason to expect success for our movement.
Hope, on the other hand, is a Christian virtue. The Bible not only encourages but commands us to have hope in the Lord.
Ultimately, hope is based on God's plan and purposes. We know that God created the world to glorify himself and has set in motion a grand plan to restore creation to its original design. The outcome of the story is not in doubt. As the saying goes, “I read the end of the book, and we win!”
But is there any reason we should have hope for America specifically? I believe so. Here’s why:
We have hope based on God’s character. We know his power, his mercy, and his willingness to forgive and restore. In fact, he delights in doing so when we call on him.
We also have many scriptural promises and examples where God responded to the prayer and humility of his people. God delayed judgment on Nineveh when they repented, and even the city of Sodom could have been spared with ten righteous people.
In light of God’s purposes, character, and promises, let’s call on him fervently—and with great hope—to restore our nation.
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