What is the difference between Hope and Joy?

When we are young we think of things that we “hope” will happen when we get older. In my mother’s generation, young ladies had “hope” chests where things like fancy nightgowns, bed linens and such were placed for the future. You hear that a high school grad “hopes” to get into the college of their choice. I have a friend who put that word, hope, into perspective for me. He was adopting a dog, a female black Lab (my personal favorite breed), and the name she already had was…Hope. I thought it was a lovely name for her and he had hoped to find a wonderful canine companion, so when he changed her name I was surprised. He said that “Hope” represented something to come, something that wasn’t there yet…so he named her “Joy “because she was there with him NOW, his Joy not his Hope. However, I think he might be re-thinking how “joyful” he feels when she refuses to let him sleep late.

In thinking about hope the first thing that comes to my mind is Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.  (Amplified) Now Faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title-deed) of the things (we) hope for, being the proofs of things (we) do not see and the conviction of their reality (faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses). We hope for good health, we hope for our finances to be what we need, we hope that our country is able to pick herself up and dust herself off and keep on keeping on.

What is the central thing in all those “hopes”? It is YOU. You have to be willing to work for what you hope for in order to see it come into existence. When my son had graduated from Georgia Tech where he had hoped to be an engineer, he knew that he was not happy and didn’t really want to do that. He had hoped to be a doctor since he was in the fifth grade and had somehow gotten side tracked. He didn’t complain about it, neither did he get hooked into a job where he would work for the rest of his un-happy life, no, he enrolled in Life University and became what he had “hoped” for. Graduating as the Valedictorian of his class, he became a Chiropractic Doctor! His hopes, backed by his work, led him to his goal and now he has his own practice, http://www.eastwestspineandrehab.com 

Faith is the SUBSTANCE (something you can feel and taste) of things hoped for; faith is the EVIDENCE of things not yet seen. You, dear reader, can do ALL things, how? Philippians 4:13 I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me.

Don’t be a quitter…recently I was watching my grandson trying to teach his dad how to play a video game, it was hysterically funny, Giles couldn’t get it at all, Gabriel kept showing him over and over, the whole family was laughing so loud the house was rocking…finally Gabriel walked away and said “You can do it dad, just don’t give up”.

That is the answer, for me, for you, yes for us all in this life, just don’t give up, don’t give in, don’t be a quitter, you can do it!

I am reminded of a little chorus someone taught me when I was about seven, “Let the sunshine in, face it with a grin, smilers never lose and frowners never win, so let the sunshine in face it with a grin, open up your heart and let the sun shine in.”

Don’t give up on your hopes and dreams, remember that Jesus made it possible for you to ask for help because He gave His life for you, yes YOU!