Moving from I Had Hoped to I Have Hope

“but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.” Luke 24:21a (NIV)

I had hoped …

It’s a familiar phrase I’ve gotten used to repeating in this season of my life.

I had hoped my intrusive thoughts would disappear completely by now.
I had hoped my energy would be fully back to normal.
I had hoped my faith would not be threatened by panic attacks.

Can you relate? Perhaps for you it sounds more like:

I had hoped I’d get better from this long-lasting illness.
I had hoped I’d be married by now.
I had hoped the family conflict would resolve.

I know a few disciples of Jesus who understood this too.

Days after Jesus’ crucifixion, sandaled feet kicked up dust on the road to Emmaus as two disciples walked there from Jerusalem, hearts heavy with disappointment. They were mourning the man they had hoped was the promised Messiah. They talked to each other in disbelief about the latest news: Some women went to the tomb but didn’t find His body.

When the resurrected Jesus Himself joined them, they did not recognize Him! He listened to them recall the last few days’ happenings, then unfolded the Scriptures before them, but still they could not see Him for who He was.

What was confounding them so? What was holding their hearts back from understanding?

Their hope was in the past tense. They “had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Luke 24:21a, emphasis added).

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So honored to be over at Proverbs 31 sharing about how to shift our hope from past tense to present. Join me?