“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:5).
In his book, Self-Help; with Illustrations of Character and Conduct, the 19th-century Scottish author and social reformer Samuel Smiles offered the following poetic observation: “Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey towards it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.” (1)
This illustrative word picture offers much to contemplate. For instance, we can liken the sun to a “guiding light” that illuminates the journey before us. The journey itself suggests progress and advancement. The shadow that follows us on that journey might represent past setbacks, lingering anxieties, or unfortunate events we’ve experienced. By moving toward the sun (which is symbolic of hope), those burdens naturally fall behind us and become less significant as
we look forward to what lies ahead.
But despite the praiseworthy nature of those concepts, this illustration suffers from a fatal imperfection. For example, what if the light of our “sun” is unworthy of the hope we invest in it? To paraphrase the American poet Robert Lowell, what if the light at the end of life’s tunnel turns out to be the light of an oncoming train? (2) In that instance, it would be a vast understatement to say that disappointment would follow.
That brings us to our text from Romans 5:5. The reason that “hope does not disappoint” is because it originates in Christ. If we place our hope in anything else, we are bound to suffer disappointment. The following author communicates this idea with some familiar illustrations…
“Here we are told that ‘hope does not disappoint.’ Other translations speak of a hope for which we are not ashamed or embarrassed.
Blind hope, like blind faith, will indeed disappoint us. Blind hope gropes aimlessly in the darkness. It stumbles over unseen obstacles. To put all one’s hope into a single goal and to have that goal unfulfilled is to be disappointed. Hope that is blind can be embarrassing. We stick our necks out only to be left in disgrace if our boldness is not vindicated. But the hope that rests in Christ will not lead to embarrassment. The shame will be upon those who put their hope in something else. The hope that fails is the hope that has no power to overcome suffering.
If I hope in anything or anyone less than One who has power over suffering and, ultimately, death, I am doomed to final disappointment. Suffering will drive me to hopelessness. What character I have will disintegrate.
It is the hope of Christ that makes it possible for us to persevere in times of tribulation and distress. We have an anchor for our souls that rests in the One who has gone before us and conquered.” (3)
(1) Smiles, Samuel (1859). Self-Help; with Illustrations of Character and Conduct. [p 67]
(2) Lowell, R. (1978). Day by day. Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
(3) Sproul, R. C. (2009). Surprised by suffering: The Role of Pain and Death in the Christian Life. [p.35]