What is hope?

What is hope? It is a desire for a certain thing to happen. It is something that people really, really want. But their hope is for things that there is no guarantee they will take place. They just hope things will line up in the right way. But there is so much that is beyond their control. And since this is the case, so many people live without any hope. Things are not getting better and only seem to get worse. 
So is there any hope in this world? The answer is yes, if you use the Bible's definition of hope. As opposed to a strong desire for something, the Bible defines hope as a strong and confident expectation. In God's Word, hope doesn't just desire, it expects. In God's Word, hope isn't uncertain, it is confident. It isn't what we can see and can't get. It is what we can't yet see but know we will get.
Hope is connected to a promise. It is focusing on the promise and the one who made the promise no matter what our situation might be. The Bible is filled with promises that are made by the creator of the universe and are guaranteed by Him no matter what our situation might be. Knowing that brings hope!