For the past several months I’ve been preparing to downsize from a large four bedroom home to something smaller and more economical.  Trying to find just the right place has been frustrating. I could picture it in my mind, but finding the reality was proving elusive.

This week I happened to see a small ad describing exactly what I’d been looking for at a very reasonable price. I assumed it must be in some remote location or have other unattractive features. Still, it was worth looking into.

When I discovered it was in a great part of town and the low price was because this was a townhouse, I was encouraged and arranged to see it as soon as possible.

After making the appointment I was elated and filled with hope that my long search was coming to an end. I was imagining moving day and life in my new home when I began to experience that familiar fear; this was just too good to be true.

I remembered my mother’s frequent admonition, “Now, don’t get your hopes up. You’ll only be disappointed.” I know she was trying to keep me from being hurt and never imagined that her words might be robbing me of the joy of anticipation.

Hopes and dreams give us tastes of delights we may never experience in reality. Sometimes they give us the courage to reach for and achieve great things.

God gave us hope, not to set us up for disappointment, but as part of the blessed trio, Faith, Hope and Love. The greatest is God’s love, but the three work together.

We read in Hebrews that faith makes us sure of what we hope for. Those words speak about our hope of salvation through Christ Jesus and not our everyday desires, of course, but they illustrate the nature of hope. It gives a glimpse of the anticipated reward and helps to keep us looking ahead.

“Hope” was used recently as a powerful campaign slogan. It resonated with many people as they mentally completed the ambiguous phrase with their own personal hopes for the future, because everybody needs hope.

However,  hoping doesn’t make it so. In this life there will always be disappointments.

It is my faith in God’s love that assures me that my hope for eternity will be fulfilled. This is the hope that keeps everyday disappointments from turning to despair. I trust God to fulfill only my hopes that are for my good and his Glory.

For this reason I am trying to be bold and let my hope make me glad (Romans 12:12).

If I am met with another disappointment, I will determine to accept God’s will and move on, grateful for the time of anticipatory gladness.