Hope is what makes all difficult things in life bearable.  Knowing that whatever trouble invades our lives can be overcome and conquered, and that no matter what, something better is waiting for us in the future, helps us to meet problems head-on.

There is no greater hope than that given to us by God in His Word.  Biblical hope does not carry the doubt that tags along with worldly hope.  It involves desire and confident expectation.  The confidence comes from knowing and trusting God.  God has promised us eternal life.  

1 John 5:11, 13 (ESV)
¹¹  And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son…I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.

It is not that God is going to give us eternal life, He has already given it to us.  All we have to do to maintain it is remain faithful to Him (Revelation 2:10).  We believe this because we believe in God’s Word, for He cannot lie.

Titus 1:1-2 (ESV)
¹  Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness, ²  in hope of eternal life, which God, who never lies, promised before the ages began.

Eternal life was not a spur-of-the-moment decision with God.  He knew what He was making us for when He created us.  Before the world began, He planned to spend eternity with us.  Since this was His plan all along, He has taken every measure to assure our salvation.  He has not left eternal life up to our own ability or ingenuity.  He took control from the beginning by making eternal life a matter of grace rather than meritorious works.

Titus 3:5-7 (ESV)
⁵  He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, ⁶  whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷  so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 

Our hope lies firmly on the broad shoulders of God and His grace.   This does not mean that there is nothing to do to maintain our salvation.  Listen to the very next thing Paul writes to Titus.

Titus 3:8 (KJV)
⁸  This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

We continue in fellowship with God by maintaining good works; not works of righteousness, but works of faith and obedience (James 2:14-26).  As long as we are faithful to God, we have the hope of eternal life.  This hope is not in self, or in other people around us, but in God.  He is our hope.  We know that what He says, He will do.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.