The Failure of Hope
Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1
Faith is not hope. It’s not even a belief. Hope fails, and beliefs are often found to be mistaken. Scripture refers to faith as proof or assurance. This means it is not something that we hope desperately for, screwing up all our willpower to imagine it coming to pass. It’s the quiet confidence of the final outcome. If someone I trust tells me that they will give me $100 dollars, I don’t have to really, really, really hope that they’re going to, I don’t have to worry whether they’ll follow through, I don’t have to name it and claim it, I just plan on what to do with it when it arrives. It’s just that simple. If God says that He’ll provide, and I trust that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, then I don’t have to try to believe Him, I don’t have to try to visualize the end result. I can just move on, peacefully knowing the good result will follow.