The biblical meaning of hope is ‘confident expectation’. But as we live in the tension of expectation and reality, so often we are disappointed and frustrated by the reality of our experiences. What is hope? Where do we find it? And how do we navigate ourselves towards it when our default is to criticise and lower our expectations?

As I’ve been thinking about hope, I’ve been particularly drawn to thinking about the church. In the Bible it says that the church will be ‘prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.’ (Rev 21:2) The image we are given of the church is one that is restored, beautiful and worthy in the eyes of Jesus. But so often the church is a big sticking-point for people. It’s easy for us to point the finger, feel despondent and misunderstand one another. I’ve had many conversations where people are so disappointed with the church. And sadly, there’s truth in a lot of what they say.

But as we’re called to love the church (John 13:34) we are called to have confident expectation of all that it will one day become.

I like the dictionary definition of hope as being ‘to believe, desire or trust…’

We need to believe that the church is beautiful. As I’ve spent the last year working for my church something I’ve really enjoyed has been hearing all the different things God’s doing. Sharing testimony and celebrating where God’s moving, particularly in ministries other than your own, grows faith in the church and all that God can do through it.

We need to desire that the church will be restored. It’s so much easier to have a moan about the church and the brokenness which we see within it, but making the decision to pray for its restoration takes commitment and lots of energy. It’s hard to commit to seeking change for the church, but we must firstly desire the change and breakthrough that God can bring.

And we need to trust that the church is and will become the bride of Christ. It’s the people who are the church. When we say ‘the church has really hurt me’, what we mean is, ‘people have really hurt me’. But in Jesus’ eyes those people are blameless and righteous, because on the cross He made them the body which is His beautiful bride.

I am part of the body, and I’m just as dysfunctional and disappointing as the rest of them! But my sin is just as forgiven and I’m just as beloved as the rest of them, as well. As I learn how to love the church I’m learning what it means to ‘hope all things’. I believe that one way God loves me is that He hopes all things for me and if He can do this for me, then I can find it within me to hope all things for the church - to confidently expect that it will be a beautiful, vibrant and open-armed body; truly loving, because we have a loving Father who can certainly make it happen.