5 Encouraging Bible Verses About Hope

Hope is like a reservoir of emotional strength.

In difficult times, hope can serve as a beacon that guides us through the worst life has to offer. With hope in our hearts we can show our Heavenly Father we have confidence in everything He does for us.  

It’s now more important than ever to hold onto hope for our country's future and for ourselves. Our faith in God is destroyed without it.

So let's examine what hope means and look at some hopeful Bible verses to create some extra encouragement.

What does it mean to have hope?

First off, let’s look at the actual definition of hope, which is “a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen, a feeling of trust.”

Most people understand hope as wishful thinking, as in "I hope something will happen." This is not what the Bible means by hope. The Biblical definition of hope is "confident expectation."

In the Bible, hope is the confident expectation of what God has promised. Its strength is in His faithfulness.

Romans 8:24-25 it says, “For in this hope, we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.”

The object of hope is to envision a positive future outcome. The prospect of a brighter future not only makes a tough situation more bearable, it can also improve our outlook on life.

No matter what we think about it, hope is an integral part of everyone’s life. Being a human being, everyone has hopes and dreams; it’s a part of who we are. So let’s take a look at what the Bible says about hope. 

What does the Bible say about hope?

As stated in the Hebrew and Greek versions of the word “hope” along with the Biblical usage, hope is an expression of certainty.

As mentioned above, hope is related to "strong and confident expectation," although it was used in ancient times as a synonym for trust and confidence in God.

Hope is made clear by the Old Testament as something rooted in God. It was not indefinite nor uncertain for the Israelites.

God is the basis of hope because of His known character and His past deeds of salvation, such as sending Jesus to die for our sins.

In some situations, it can be difficult to have hope. However, according to the Bible, true hope is unseen. If we can be hopeful for something like salvation, which is also unseen, then we can also have faith that our hopes will not be in vain.

Bible verses on hope

God’s word has a lot to say about hope, and what it means to have hope. In times when you feel that you've run out of hope, here are five Bible verses that can help lift your spirits. 

Jeremiah 29:11

In Jeremiah 29:11 the Bible says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

This verse reassures us that we can have hope knowing that God intends for us not only to live, but to prosper. These are encouraging words if you’re not currently feeling hope for the future. 

The climate today makes it easy to feel like there's nothing left to hope for. The steadfast love of God, however, tells us that there are plenty of reasons to feel hopeful.  

Psalm 42:11

In Psalm 42:11 the Bible says, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior, and my God.”

Here's a verse that echoes the verse above. Essentially, it’s telling us that if we feel downcast and lack hope for the future, we should place our trust in God’s love. 

When you feel like things are hopeless, the hope of the glory of God will be your guiding light. 

Isaiah 40:31

In Isaiah 40:31 the Bible says, “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

What an uplifting sentiment! Hope in the Lord Jesus Christ or the Heavenly Father will renew your strength. 

As a Christian, you can always look to God's glory when you lose hope in yourself or others. For the Lord is the God of all grace and to Him we can always return.

Romans 15:13

In Romans 15:13 the Bible says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

This is such a touching prayer to ask for others or ourselves. What else could we wish for but joy, peace, and hope?

The passage gives a powerful message about the transformative power that God has in the hearts and minds of every Christian.

Hebrews 10:23 

In Hebrews 10:23 the Bible says, “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for he who promised is faithful.”

God has brought humanity to Himself through Jesus Christ, so we should resist pressures that try to weaken us from Him. For God is the one who gives us the hope of eternal life. 

1 Corinthians 13:13

In 1 Corinthians 13:13 the Bible says, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”

This is one of the most famous verses of Scripture often quoted, printed, and sung in the modern world. It’s essential for Christians to have faith and hope. 

We can only come into a relationship with God through faith in Christ. Hope is the Christian belief that God will keep His promises about the future. Without faith and hope, Christianity would cease to exist. 

Hope for happiness

We hope that reading these hope-filled verses lifted your spirits. As they say, our Lord works in mysterious ways, so it’s important to keep up our faith.  

If you still need an extra boost, check out our daily messages of hope, or download our app through the App Store or Google Play.