According to Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary 6th edition,
Hope as a verb is "to want something to happen and think that it is possible."
Hope as a noun is "a belief that something you want will happen."

From this definition, we can understand that hope is effective when there is a strong belief and confidence that what you expect must come through. A person that has hope is a person that has a positive mindset. A person that has hope is a person that is very optimistic. A person that has hope is a person that even in the midst of trouble and hard times, still believes that a great compensation is on the way. A person that has hope is a person that can boldly say,
"No matter whatever I am going through, I must surely make it."

A songwriter says:
"I still have hope 2x
After all I have been through
I still have hope."

Hope has to do with what you believe in. What you believe in is what you live on. Whatever you live on is what lets you in. If you can build your hope, no circumstance can condemn you. In this teaching, we shall explore how to build hope in ugly situations.

CIRCUMSTANCES THAT LEAD TO HOPE:

Hope is a product of circumstances. If there is no failure (circumstance), there can never be hope. Where there is no hope, there is no compensation. When everything is normal and fine, there won't be need for hope because you already have what you need. Hope rises when you have not received what was promised.

God called Abraham and promised him a son when he was seventy-five years old. Abraham waited for God to fulfill His promise for about twenty-four years—still nothing happened. Despite God's delay in fulfilling the promise, Abraham did not lose hope. The Bible says:

"He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God:
And being fully persuaded that what he had promised, he was able to perform.
And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness."
— Romans 4:20-22

How could one be married for several decades without children? A man at the age of ninety-nine! To every human perception, Abraham and his wife Sarah had completely failed in the area of childbearing. Surprisingly, the failure activated his hope. Though I was not there, I could imagine him saying,

"Though I might look too old to have children and my wife Sarah has crossed her menopause age,
I strongly trust that God will definitely perform what He has said.
I know and trust the God that I serve."

The Bible says:

"... but the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits."
— Daniel 11:32

When you know and trust the God that you serve, your hope shall be strong and effective.

Remain blessed
Rev. Miracle C. Onyenweaku
Senior Pastor
Grace of God Christian Assembly Int'l.
Uhum/Umuogwo, Isiala Ngwa South, Abia State
+2348037588218