Hope that fails

In Romans 5:3-5, there is a discussion about suffering and why it is good for you. It produces endurance and character and hope. And hope in Christ does not put to shame. This post is NOT an exposition of this verse. It is a story that talks about hope that does put to shame. It helped me understand (in an elementary way) why it is important to have a hope that doesn't fail.

A few weeks ago I was working on project that required massive overtime. I was working 55 hours a week, and that is less than most of the people on my project. So this really took a lot of time. At the time of this story, we had just been informed earlier that week that our deadline was no longer the following Friday, but in fact that Wednesday! So as you can imagine, we put it into overdrive (we were told of this the Monday of the same week).

Well, turns out that we had a little wiggle room, but we had to be done by Thursday evening. So on Wednesday my direct lead was talking to me and suggested that it was possible that we wouldn't have to work on Friday, and may even be able to leave a little early on Thursday. I didn't think much of it, because I have learned to be skeptical about stuff like that (which I may  need to discuss at some other time).

The next day was Thursday...and we finished! We really did. All our documents went out and were out of our hands. Success! My boss kept coming around talking about not coming in on Friday and leaving early, and seeing how we finished so quickly, I started to believe it. In fact, I started to relish the idea. I was looking forward to going home early (which is actually the normal time I should be leaving). I had small group that night and was going to be able to relax beforehand. And oh the possibilities with a free Friday!

I received a text from my small group leader saying we would have to reschedule. Then my boss determined that we did have stuff to do, so I had to stay late on Thursday. And I even had to come in Friday to finish up some stuff.

UGH!

My heart sank and I was upset! What an awful thing, right? Well I know that it isn't the worst thing in the world. And not even the worst thing that day, or even that hour, but I didn't like it. I had hoped to have some time off. But that hope wasn't really founded on anything. It had never happened before on this project. In fact, the precedence of this project was to make last minute changes all the time (as seen by the moving deadlines above). But I hoped in something that was a little silly, and it sucked when it didn't come through.

Going home that Thursday night I had to tell myself that the only thing to hope in, truly, is God. Yes, we need hope always, but it must be founded on God. I was reminded of Romans 5:4 and that hope never fails, when it is in God. And hope that fails just isn't fun. It doesn't feel good. I would hate to be hoping in something that actually matters ( as opposed to going home early) and have it put me to shame.

I'm glad to know that God is trustworthy and hope in him does not put me to shame! Amen