Lifelessness tends to lead to hopelessness. We wake up one morning realizing our lives resemble a series of robotic motions bereft of the once vibrant embracing of moments. Stuck in the liminal space of the present, we neither relish looking back nor forward. In this space, Hope began breathing life into my dry places.
Though mundane and wilderness trails may meet us more often than we prefer, Hope breathes life into our seemingly lifeless days.
While all of life makes its journey both up to the mountain tops and down through the valleys, some seasons seem spent in the driest wilderness places. In God’s omniscient kindness He gifted me the word “Hope” for 2023.
Half-way home, at the six-month mark in my One Word journey, Hope lessons abound, speaking deeply into my life. I created a special page on my blog where all my Hope posts live, please take the time to acquaint yourself with the wonders of my journey with this magnificent word.
waiting in the dry places
Several verses sprang to mind at the beginning of my journey, empowering me in my quest for a renewed perspective on breathing life into my own dry places. Romans 5:1-5 and Romans 15:13 seemed the cornerstones as I soon added many more.
While most modern dictionaries define “Hope” as a desire or expectation, older dictionaries nuance it with “confidence” in the outcome.
Which seems more along the lines of what the verses in Romans and many more New Testament verses imply. But as I found numerous references to Hope in the Old Testament, a new discovery unfolded.
Throughout the psalms the word “Hope” appears often, each time the Hebrew word used is “yachal”, meaning “to wait”.

Of interest, though “yachal” is used in other Old Testament passages, only in the psalms and four of the five usages of Hope in Lamentations chapter 3, is it translated as the word Hope in English. All other passages use a verb form of “to wait”.
By comparison, the word “Hope” used in most New Testament verses is the Greek verb “elpis”, which implies a confident, certain expectation.
Moving from Old Testament “waiting” Hope, for the promised redemption to the New Testament’s realization of Christ’s atonement, Hope becomes rich with the indisputable evidence of God’s desired reality which will come to fruition.
Today, waiting in the dry places of my life filled with doubts and detours, Hope promises a sure outcome of God’s design, which cannot fail.
breathing life into the dry places
By far the most stunning revelation came in the passage in Lamentations 3:21-26:
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. 22 It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 24 The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. 25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. 26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.
For each instance of the word “Hope” used by Jeremiah in these verses, all but the last in verse 26 use the Hebrew word, “yachal”, “to wait”. The word translated “Hope” in verse 26 is the Hebrew word, “chuwl”, meaning either travail in pain, or dancing in joy.
Lamentations 3:26 is the only place in the bible where the Hebrew word “chuwl” is translated “Hope”.

When Pain Gives Way to Joy
What human experience comes to mind when you consider pain giving way to Joy? Ladies?
Childbirth. Of all human experiences, I believe giving birth exemplifies the delicate dance of pain transformed to Joy.
Hope then, is the waiting dance of suffering which births Joy.
Used in Isaiah 43:1-3 and Psalm 139:13-18, one of the names of God, El Chuwl, “the God who gives you life” reminds us the Giver of all life breathes new life into our dry places.
The significance of Jeremiah choosing the Hebrew word “chuwl” in Lamentations 3:26, reminds the Israelites out of complete desolation God brings Life.
Perhaps the Apostle Peter had this passage in mind when he wrote of the living Hope, we have in Christ:
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”
Still attempting to hold the magnitude of meaning God entrenched in this little English word, I marvel at the beauty of knowing though my current reality may hold suffering, Christ, my Living Hope holds the fulfillment of all God’s promises, redeeming within the wait my Joy.
Childbirth is the perfect example for me too of pain giving way to joy. I love how this beautiful analogy shows how hope brings life from lifelessness. Thanks for sharing this, Donna.
Thank you, Lisa, for your encouraging words. This has been quite an interesting and enlightening journey with Hope!
This is beautiful, Donna. So grateful for this, in particular: “Today, waiting in the dry places of my life filled with doubts and detours, Hope promises a sure outcome of God’s design, which cannot fail.” Amen and amen!
Thank you, my Friend, God is so good to remind us to abide in Him!
It is interesting how hope in the OT is ‘to wait’ while the NT has it as ‘confident, certain expectation’ which brings plenty to meditate on today. This is beautiful, Donna, “Childbirth. Of all human experiences, I believe giving birth exemplifies the delicate dance of pain transformed to Joy. Hope then, is the waiting dance of suffering which births Joy.”
Yes, Lisa, I found that same observation, I think the original languages add such richness to our understanding!
Donna, I must admit, I don’t appreciate the dry, fallow seasons, but usually later on, I see the work God did then, and the lessons learned, and the growth that took place.
It makes me realize that HE was the One who carried me through. And for that, I am grateful. He truly does restore the years the locusts have eaten (Joel 2).
Linda, as much as I hate cliches, hindsight IS 20-20 when walking with the Lord. Most of us would truly say we would not trade those dry places for anything else!
This >> “Hope then, is the waiting dance of suffering which births Joy.” So true, Donna! And the wait makes the later joy so worth it. I have said many times to my husband that I would go through a particular circumstance all over again for what was gained in the process. It’s amazing how God redeems it all. Beautiful reflection!
Joanne, the concept of Hope as a waiting dance of suffering, so fills my heart with Jesus and His strength! I know my attitude towards suffering initially may be to repel, after time, I begin to embrace, and in the end as you say, I would not let go because of the beautiful blessing of deeper intimacy with Jesus.
I deeply appreciate your careful explanation of those different words for hope that are so consistent with the message of the distinct testaments where they appear!
Thank you, my dear Friend! I know we both love “words” and exploring, wrestling, and wringing out every nuance and understanding we can!