What is hope and what does it mean?

Hope. It’s a small, but powerful word. It can often be used to mean wishful thinking or deep longing. But what is the meaning of hope?

For Christians, Easter is the season that defines hope. On the first Good Friday, it looked as though all hope had ended.

Jesus – who had performed miracles, welcomed in society’s outsiders and taught a radically compassionate way of life – was executed. His closest friends scattered, feeling abandoned, without hope, and fearing for their own lives.

But then came Easter Day, when Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead. What looked like the end became a beginning. The darkness was transformed into light, and despair was turned into possibility.

This is the heartbeat of Christian faith: when all seems lost, hope remains.

Finding hope when things seem dark

On any gloomy morning, scrolling through bleak news headlines, it can feel impossible to hold on to hope. This is called ‘doomscrolling’ for a reason – it feeds a sense that the world is falling apart and that we are powerless.

But Christians believe that hope is embodied in Jesus, whose name, ‘Immanuel’, means ‘God with us’. It’s the belief that God took on human form as Jesus. He stepped into human experience, understands humanity intimately and refuses to abandon it.

So, hope begins with this relationship: God knows us personally, loves us and wants good things for us. We can trust that this is true, even though we can’t always see it reflected in our circumstances.

A hope that overcomes

Christians believe that Jesus’ resurrection wasn’t just symbolic. It was a victory over darkness, brokenness and everything that destroys life. This victory is eternal and everlasting, but our lives unfold one moment at a time, which means we continue to face difficulty, pain and death.

That’s why Christian hope matters so much.

Hope is not a dreamy escape or simple optimism, but an anchor to steady us in a changing world or during tough times. The meaning of hope is looking forward and trusting that, even when the page we’re on is difficult, the story isn’t finished yet.

Hope doesn’t ignore our pain, but it insists that pain isn’t all there is.

Hope in a world that feels overwhelming

While news headlines suggest that things are so bad that we should brace ourselves for the worst, Christian hope pushes back on this narrative.

Even when life feels heavy, Christians believe that God’s love is stronger. They are encouraged not to face struggles alone, but to remain hopeful and trust that God is present with them in all situations and at all times. This gives them courage when fear could easily overwhelm.

This doesn’t mean life becomes easy. It doesn’t deny pain, injustice or uncertainty. But Christian hope says these things don’t have the final word: God does, because God loves us and is working all things out for our ultimate good.

Choosing to live in hope

The Bible describes hope as something active. For Christians, hope is a decision to trust that God's story of love is bigger than the world’s story of fear. Hope is not reliant on our changing personal circumstances, but rooted in the belief that Jesus is alive and that, because he lives, there is always the possibility of a new beginning.

Easter is the reminder at the centre of it all: when everything seemed lost, hope broke through.

Christians believe the hope that was demonstrated by the resurrection of Jesus is still at work and still offered freely to anyone who wants it. For many, hope looks like a fresh page, a new chapter and a chance to start again. This is something our whole world is longing for.

If you’re curious, searching or simply wondering what it really means to celebrate Easter, this hope is available to you too.

You can find out more about the hope that Jesus offers by downloading the Who Is This Jesus Anyway? free ebook using the form below.