Read 1 Peter 1:1–2
Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to God’s elect, strangers in the world … Grace and peace be yours in abundance. 1 Peter 1:1–2

The three themes of suffering, grace, and glory in 1 Peter unite to form an encouraging message for believers experiencing times of trial and persecution. These themes are summarized in 5:10, a verse we would do well to memorize. The cynical editor and writer H. L. Mencken once defined hope as “a pathological belief in the occurrence of the impossible.” But that definition does not agree with the New Testament meaning of the word. True Christian hope is more than “hope so.” It is confident assurance of future glory and blessing.

This confident hope gives us the encouragement and empowerment we need for daily living. It does not put us in a rocking chair where we complacently await the return of Jesus Christ. Instead, it puts us in the marketplace, on the battlefield, where we keep on going when the burdens are heavy and the battles are hard. Hope is not a sedative; it is a shot of adrenaline, a blood transfusion. Like an anchor, our hope in Christ stabilizes us in the storms of life (Heb. 6:18–19), but unlike an anchor, our hope moves us forward; it does not hold us back.

Something to Ponder
Can you think of a time in the recent past when your hope was like “a shot of adrenaline”? What were the circumstances?