Where's My Hope?

Last night in our small group, we talked about hope - not the "I wish" kind of hope, but the "confidence" kind. The source we referenced was GTO Seeds For Growth, #53 titled, "A Study of B-O-B Hope, A Look at the Basis, the Operation and the Benefits of Hope." by Harold and Bette Gillogly. Honestly, I'd never really given much thought to hope or what it really was, and our discussion presented me with lots of new Scriptures to mull on.

The most convicting idea was presented at the end and I'll just quote it here:

WHENEVER you are disappointed and frustrated, that's a red flag that should make you ask yourself: Where's my hope? Be honest - have you been setting your hope on something you wanted Him to do, or in God Himself? You won't be disappointed if your hope is in God alone! That's His promise!* So when you're feeling disappointed - or you see your brother or sister disappointed and frustrated - the question to be asked is "where's your hope?"

*"Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed." Isaiah 49:23

Ouch. That pretty much pegs all my disappointments. My hope was misplaced and therefore fell flat every time. I thought I was hoping in God, but disappointment always came when my prayers weren't answered the way I thought they would. My hope was in the way I hoped God would answer and not in Him. I definitely have lots of practice to do in living out my hope.