With so much uncertainty in the world, people often talk about “holding on to hope.”
Do you think hope is primarily a choice we make, something that grows from our circumstances, or something else entirely?
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Before Jesus, a person is essentially operating on what the New Testament describes as being,
“Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” Ephesians 2:12
It’s not that a person can’t have optimistic wishes before then, but those wishes lack a secure anchor. Biblically, true hope isn’t wishful thinking; it’s a guaranteed expectation of what is to come because it rests entirely on the character and promises of God.
So if you look at it through that lens, the answer to your question is a mix of choice and something else entirely. The act of choosing to follow Jesus and trust in the resurrection. It is an intentional alignment of your will.
Neither the person nor their environment generates the source of hope itself; it is a gift and a structural reality rooted in a person’s new identity. It doesn’t fluctuate with circumstances because the source of it doesn’t change. It shifts the conversation entirely from “How do I feel today?” to “Where is my foundation anchored?”
As we grow in our relationship with God, our knowledge of His Word, and as His child, we grow in faith.
Peter
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Depends what one is hoping in?
Hoping that one will win the lottery is a vain hope.
Hoping that one will be received in to heaven as a Christian is a true hope.
What is one putting ones trust in and for what purpose?
God is not a sugar daddy.
"Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity. " Ecclesiastes 1:2
Ecclesiastes 1:14 expands on this idea:
“I have seen all the things that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind”
Here, Solomon reflects on the futility of human labor, wisdom, and pleasure when pursued as ends in themselves. Despite effort and achievement, worldly pursuits are transient and cannot provide ultimate satisfaction. The surrounding verses illustrate this theme: generations pass, the sun rises and sets, rivers flow endlessly, and yet nothing truly changes Ecclesiastes 1:3–7. Even wisdom and knowledge, though valuable, bring sorrow when pursued apart from God Ecclesiastes 1:16–18, KJV
The repeated declaration that “all is vanity” serves as a reminder of human limitations and the impermanence of earthly achievements. It encourages readers to seek meaning beyond material or temporal success, pointing toward a life oriented toward God, who alone provides lasting purpose and fulfillment.
Ecclesiastes 1:2 and 1:14 capture the essence of Solomon’s reflection: human efforts, pleasures, and wisdom are ultimately fleeting, like chasing the wind, highlighting the need for a higher, eternal perspective. Trust in God for all things.
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” Matthew 6:33
Peter
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