Hope can seem elusive—like a firefly slipping past a child’s outstretched hand. Sometimes, it seems unreachable, too dim, quickly extinguished. A loved one walks away from the faith. A culture turns hostile. An election turns out poorly. A cherished dream escapes our grasp. Some setbacks are minor and temporary; others threaten to knock us down for good.
But our hope as Christians isn’t rooted in the culture, our efforts, or even our loved ones. It’s not crushed by disappointments or destroyed by suffering.
Our enduring hope is rooted in our trust that Jesus will return to judge the world, accomplish our resurrection, establish his reign, and restore all things as he promised.
Christ’s return is not a side thought in the Christian story; it’s the triumphant ending. Yet it’s not only the ending but also a vital anchor that gives us hope for the future—and not only for the future but for today. Here are three ways Jesus’ return gives us hope now.
- We have confidence that today’s setbacks cannot prevent Jesus’ ultimate victory.
No matter how dark the world looks, we have confidence that the Light of the world will ultimately conquer the darkness. Victory will have its triumph. Good will conquer evil. Jesus will make all things new, and we will see him as he is.
Because we know Jesus will bring ultimate justice, we experience sadness but not despair when evil gets a momentary upper hand. Because we know Jesus will wipe away our tears, we know suffering isn’t permanent. As the apostle Paul says, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all” (2 Corinthians 4:16–17, NIV).
Whatever challenges we face, God’s grace is more encompassing. Whatever obstacles obscure our view, we know we will see clearly one day. We can walk in joy, hope, and obedience today, resting in the victory Jesus already won at the cross and will finish on his throne.
- We know that what we do matters.
Jesus’ ultimate victory over sin and death—at the empty grave and the end of time—gives us hope for the work God has given us to accomplish. As 1 Corinthians 15:57–58 (ESV) affirms, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”
Sharing the gospel, caring for the poor, and loving the culture’s most overlooked and unwanted members is worth doing.
As Christians, our mission is to participate in God’s plan to redeem and restore. We both proclaim and live the gospel.
Christians throughout history have done this not only through evangelism and foreign missions but also through providing care to orphans and widows, alleviating poverty through radical generosity, abolishing slavery, stewarding the physical creation, fighting to end sex trafficking and abortion, and many other endeavors that model God’s character to the world.
Our love for our families, attention to our marriages, care for the elderly, and discipleship of the young all show the world what God is like. Every action—big or small, exciting or mundane—prepares the way for the message that repentance, redemption, and restoration are not only possible but promised to those who trust in Christ.
Jesus’ return gives us hope to drive the mission, and participating with God in the mission renews our hope that Jesus will ultimately finish the job.
- We are assured that Jesus’ mercy is still active.
Perhaps you’ve had a friend who deconstructed his or her faith, a grown child who stopped speaking to the family, or a neighborhood who is hostile to the gospel. It may seem like God has forgotten or that he doesn’t care.
However, we know his mercy is still active because Jesus has not yet returned. Peter says, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9, ESV).
Jesus could have returned two weeks, months, or years after the ascension. But he didn’t. God’s heart is toward redemption.
His promise of Christ’s return and the fact that he delays it demonstrate his love and patience toward those who haven’t responded to the gospel.
Jesus wants people from every tribe and nation to turn to him (Revelation 7:9), and he’s gracious to allow people time to do so. As we pray for loved ones who do not yet know Christ, we have hope in God’s daily kindness as he calls them to repentance.
So, whatever joys or sorrows we navigate, let’s hold onto the hold Jesus’s return gives us today, tomorrow, and forever.
By Julie Smyth