Hope

My senior project has been on the topic of hope. It is a deep and broad topic with much psychological research and biblical evidence. Since I feel passionately that what the world needs now is more hope, I decided to share the work I have done on the topic.

Paper 1, this is a summary of some of the psychological research I found on the topic of hope. For validity, this paper received 100% and my professor said it was graduate level work.

Abounding in Hope: Literature Review

In the face of a world-wide pandemic, global human-trafficking, and increasing political and racial tensions in the United States, there is a need for hope more than ever before. But just because we see a need for hope does not mean that we know what it is or how to harness the elusiveness that hope envisions in the hearts and minds of mankind. Is it simply to dream of a better tomorrow? Is it wishing upon a star? Or even the Christian version, “All you need is faith, hope and love” (1 Cor. 13:13). In this paper you will see the journey of understanding hope from the clinical perspective, and the practical use of hope in relationship to the media. Next, I will discuss, the effect hope has on an individual’s subjective well-being, what role hope has in difficult circumstances, and then how to utilize the power of hope for ourselves and clients. Lastly, we will examine the worldview assumptions that the topic of hope elicits.

Literature Review

In 2008, Schrank, Stanghellini, and Slade conducting a review of all the literature surrounding hope in the field of psychiatry, particularly the influence of this virtue in clients. They found the research to conclude that hope was effective in counteracting suicidal thoughts and linked to resiliency after traumatic experiences. While there are many definitions of hope, they actually discovered 49 different definitions throughout the literature, they concluded that hope should be defined as “future-oriented expectation” regarding goals. In light of this, they also determined that hope was extremely vital to the recovery of clients in that they must have some level of hope that treatment will be successful before beginning therapy. They also concluded that therapeutic interventions will be most productive when used with the 4 components of hope they identified in their research: cognitive, behavioral, affective and environmental.

Snyder (1995), came up with “Hope Theory” and theorized that there was a way to measure hope and that it could be evaluated in a clinical setting. He felt that hope was the thought process of making plans and it is the means of which people create goals. Snyder then came up with a self-assessment test that could be given to clients in order to measure their levels of hope. This finally gave therapists a resource in order to determine and possibly intervene in potential high-risk situations where hope is so low, especially vital to preventing suicides. At the end of his research, he shares several ways that this will impact the area of counseling and how to help clients rebuild hope through creating meaningful goals and taking care of their mental and physical bodies.

Next in my research, I wanted to know if hope had practical applications outside of the clinical realms. Prestin (2013) conducted research in the entertainment industry, particularly the effect that movies had on a person’s subjective well-being. In this definition, hope was classified as a desire for unlikely event to occur, which she defines as the underdog effect in her research and found movies that corresponded to this type of event. Her hypothesis was that those participants that viewed a film portraying an underdog situation would be more hopeful compared to other media viewing (like comedy or a drama). In the conclusion of her research, it was determined that participants did come away more hopeful after seeing a film portraying the underdogs struggle, but what I found interesting is that it was not necessary for the underdog to succeed in order to bring about these feelings of hopefulness.

After determining that hope had a place in the clinical environment and could be used effectively in media to elicit hope, I wanted to know what benefits hope offered for the individual and their subjective well-being. Yalçın, and Malkoç (2014) conducted a study of 482 Turkish university students and gave them several surveys to determine their levels of satisfaction in life, meaning they found in life, forgiveness and hope to establish if there was any relationship between them. They concluded that there was indeed a mediation effect that hope, and forgiveness offered to meaning of life and subjective well-being in the individuals studied. Those that were more hopeful had greater level of subjective well-being then those that had higher levels in forgiveness. I found this research to support the theory that those who have hope are more likely to have a better life and a more meaningful existence as we see in those individuals with higher levels of subjective well-being in other areas of positive psychology.

My next question on the topic of hope, is what role does it play in adverse circumstances? Vignansky, Addad, and Himi (2018) interviewed 10 participants that all had recently been released from prison. These former inmates were not asked questions, but just given a space to tell their story of how prison had changed them, and the researchers then compiled the interviews into major themes. Just like those that are not incarcerated, these individuals just desired the same opportunities to have a meaningful and fulfilling life and the previous research shows us that hope is a vital component of that. While in prison, these participants all became religious and through their new faith, they were given an opportunity to envision a life without criminal activity. They were simply given hope that there was a different way to live then what they had known before. The participants were able to start making goals and plan for the future, important elements of hope as seen in Schrank’s et al. (2008) research. In conclusion, they found that these 10 participants all had a shift in their worldview that included a hope for the future which allowed them to withstand suffering better than those without hope. They were also better equipped to establish their goals and overcome obstacles in obtaining their goals. This is important for the efforts in rehabilitation research and how to prevent recidivism after release. This study concluded that hope would grow as the inmate discovers and develops their ability to choose for themselves who they will be and what they will do.

As my research came to a close, I wanted to figure out how to harness the power that hope has to offer. Schmid (2019), clearly defines all the aspects of what hope is and what it is not. Some of the topics he covered are that hope can only occur in the present time and that it is a process of hoping, not a destination fulfilled. When we harness hope in difficult times it is actually the space between the difficulty and the outcome. He theorizes that hope is even aware of the difficulties, where optimism denies the existent of hardships. Hopeful people persist in hoping, anyways. When put into practice in therapy, therapists can only make space for hope to occur, the patient has to realize the strengths they already have and engage with hope to build on them through the counseling work. Hope really then becomes a catalyst for change, or transition, and enables the client to establish congruence between their hopes and the actual outcomes.

Worldview Commentary

In compiling the literary research on the topic, Schrank et al. (2008), discovered 49 different definitions assigned to hope. Clearly, there is a great many perspectives that scholars have on the topic. Some of the definitions are as follows: “an essentially positive phenomenon, an attribute of the individual, a state of mind, an inner power, an energy, a dynamic life force, a motivational/emotional state, an emotional attitude, a positive emotion, a belief, an anticipation, a component of empowerment, a measure of optimism, and most frequently, an expectation” (Schrank et al., 2008, p.424-425). I think one can assume that it is hard to describe hope as anything other than hope itself, which appears very ambiguous to the majority.

Schmid (2019) takes a more philosophical approach to his definition of hope: “Hope is spanned between despair and confidence, between anxiety and reassurance, between fear of separation and desire for closeness, between giving-up and the courage to risk” (Schmid, 2019, p. 128). This perspective is one that hope is really a journey or a process that happens in the present time. It is so much more than just being optimistic or having positive thinking but happens when one considers the potential on the other side of something very unknown, but still sensing it is good and worthwhile. He continues, “hope- together with her siblings, trust and love- is an active stance, the very opposite of death, the core of being able to live” (Schmid, 2019, p.128). This perspective that without hope we simple are existing and not really living, which could be why those who chose to end their lives are described as those that have lost all hope.

Hope seems to be the key to living well. “Hope, however, provides release from prison and from negative ways, not just physically but also spiritually and mentally. Furthermore, spiritual empowerment enables a person to choose to change, and to build his “self” and his “existential being” in a significant and positive way” (Vignansky et al., 2018, p. 354). In this time, many feel that they are imprisoned, and isolated without any way out, but we see that many scholars do indeed see hope as a catalyst to a vital change of direction, or at the least, a change of perspective. This idea of using hope as a key to unlock negative thinking could be the vital component in helping clients overcome traumatic and difficult life circumstances and move into a better quality of life in the future.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are many definitions of hope, and just as many reasons that hope helps our subjective well-being. There are ways to measure hope, and to use the power of hope to change the trajectory of those with suicidal thoughts, those that are incarcerated, and those who just desire to live a more meaningful life. Hope is also vital for the therapist and client relationship and for clinical treatments to have an impact. Hal Lindsey is attributed to saying, “Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air...but only for one second without hope.” This statement seems to be verified in the psychological research that hope is a necessary virtue for living and more importantly, for living well.

References

Prestin, A. (2013). The Pursuit of Hopefulness: Operationalizing Hope in Entertainment Media Narratives. Media Psychology, 16(3), 318–346. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2013.773494

Schmid, P. F. (2019). The power of hope: person-centered perspectives on contemporary personal and societal challenges. Person-Centered & Experiential Psychotherapies, 18(2), 121–138. https://doi.org/10.1080/14779757.2019.1618371

Schrank, B., Stanghellini, G., & Slade, M. (2008). Hope in psychiatry: a review of the literature. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 118(6), 421–433. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.2008.01271.x

Snyder, C. R. (1995). Conceptualizing, Measuring, and Nurturing Hope. Journal of Counseling & Development, 73, 355–360.

Vignansky, E., Addad, M., & Himi, H. (2018). Despair Will Hold You Prisoner, Hope Will Set You Free: Hope and Meaning Among Released Prisoners. The Prison Journal, 98(3), 334–358. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032885518764920

Yalçın, I., & Malkoç, A. (2014). The Relationship Between Meaning in Life and Subjective Well-Being: Forgiveness and Hope as Mediators. Journal of Happiness Studies, 16(4), 915–929. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-014-9540-5

For paper 2, I had to take a deeper look into the Biblical aspects of hope and what it means for our lives as Christians. This paper received 100%.

Abounding in Hope: Biblical Survey

In order to abound in hope, that is, to have an unlimited, boundless, and overflowing amount of hope, we need to understand what hope is from a Biblical perspective. In this brief survey, I will explain the difference between faith and hope, discuss the source of hope, and the benefits hope offers for the Christian believer. There are some remaining questions that I have on the topic, so I will address those in the next section and then just before concluding will include the verse that I will be mediating on for the remainder of the course.

Theology of Hope

Difference Between Faith and Hope

Paul tells us is that there are three essential Christian virtues that will remain: faith, hope and love (1 Cor. 13:13, Easton, 1897). It is easier to tell the difference between hope and love, but it is much harder to know the difference between faith and hope since often, they are used similarly in the English language. To resolve this, I went to the original Greek for clarification. The word for hope is elpis which is the confident expectation of good, it refers to the author of the hope, not the one in need of hope (Steele, 2015). In contrast, faith, pistis, is more of the moral conviction and reliance on Christ for salvation, the firm persuasion in the truth (Steele, 2015). This helped me to significantly understand that faith is the head knowledge regarding salvation, and hope is more of the hearts yearning for something more and trusting that God is faithful to his promises (Nelson, 1996). Similarly, the Hebrew word qawa, which means to wait, look and hope for, also has a beautiful root meaning of being twisted into a rope (Steele, 2015; Nelson, 1996). This imagery made me consider that hope is a process of being wrapping around, through all the twists and turns, until it is stronger than the individual strands and now has the ability to hold steadfast.

There is one instance where a different Hebrew word for hope is used and it is found in Lamentations 3:26. In this word for waiting, it implies that it is a painful waiting, like one would experience in childbirth (Steele, 2015). I think this is mirrored in the groanings Paul writes about as we anticipate the things that we as of yet do not see (Rom. 8:23-25). In this way, I think it is why it is also listed as one of the definitions of love: it hopes all things (1 Cor. 13:7), which often can be painful as we are vulnerable to letting others into our weakness.

The Source of Hope

After grasping the vital biblical meaning of hope, I wanted to know how to obtain it for myself in greater measures. David tells us to put our hope in the Lord (Ps. 31:24, 37:9, 42:5). Paul says that we can gain hope after enduring conflict with character (Rom. 5:3-5), by the encouragement of scripture (15:4), and by spend time rejoicing in hope as a spiritual discipline (12:12). One of my favorite passages is found in Job 13:15 where Job finally just says, even if God takes me out, I will still hope in him. I think this is where we found the affiliation of the character traits of boldness and courage with the virtue of hope (Heb. 3:6, 2 Cor. 3:12) because we have to know beyond reason that Jesus Christ is the source of our hope (1 Tim. 1:1, Nelson, 1996).

Benefits of Hope

Those that place their hope in God as their source of hope, will see many benefits. They will be able to be confident that hope will not disappoint (Rom. 5:3-5), they will not have their hopes dashed (Prov. 23:17-18) or be put to shame (Isa. 49:23). They will also gain and an inheritance in the land (Ps. 37:9, Jer, 31:17) which involves many of the Old Testament covenants. They will have well-being (Jer. 29:11) and even health (Prov. 13:12). There is an everlasting supply of love, and mercy for those that can recall the faithfulness of God with hope (Lam. 3:21-22). Paul writes that in our process to become a hope filled person, we will also gain perseverance and character in the journey which is extremely valuable in bringing about positive change in an individual that is seeking to become more like Christ.

The Questions That Remain

After exploring the meaning, source, and benefits of hope, I still came across some difficult passages that just did not fit as well with the others. One of the most difficult passages on hope found in my research was Jeremiah 8:15. The prophet says that they hoped for peace but there was none, only terror (CSB). When placed in contrast with other verses in the same book (29:11, 31:17) we know that God has given us hope for our future, but when the people looked for it in 8:15, they did not find it. Does this mean that hope is not always available? This would also mean that it would be very difficult to abound in hope, if at times, we look for hope and only see terror. In my research, I did notice that most other translations like the NKJV used the word “looked” instead of “hoped” but I still think it is an interesting to consider in light of our current situations where everywhere we try to “look expectantly” for hope, is just filled with messages of fear and terror (Nelson, 1996). It could also mean that we need to be careful and cautious in where we look for our source of hope, that it may require seeing things that are not as though the are.

The story of Job is a favorite of mine and so I found myself looking more intently at what he had to say regarding hope after he lost his children, his wealth, and his health. In 6:11, when his strength is depleted, he essentially asks the question that I have asked as well, “Why should I keep hoping?” I think so often when our hope is placed in only what is in front of us, we struggle to see past the mere circumstances into eternity. I wonder if the point of hope and maybe even the trials we face on earth is to give us a perspective that there is something beyond todays struggles, even if we cannot see it?

Lastly, 1 Corinthians 15:19 also generated a few questions for me. If our hope in Christ is only for this life, are we really pitiful? I do not think the message of being hopeful on earth is a pitiful thing, but that we should hope for things beyond this life (Nelson, 1996). I felt this was a reference to the wishful thinking kind of hope, like the wishing upon a star, rather than the concrete and difficult process of anticipating eternal life. But it did make me question how much of my hope is for the current life compared to the eternal life, am I concerned with things that are temporal or eternal and am I placing my hopes correctly from God’s perspective?

Course Verse

This is the verse that I have shared as my theme verse for not only this study into hope, but also my year as I put hope before me as a character trait to study and cultivate in my own life. Romans 15:13- “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (CSB)

Conclusion

In closing, there is still much more written on the topic of hope then I could study or even write in just these few pages. I do feel more confident that there is a significant difference in my understanding that hope is more about the process, the eagerly waiting and expecting, even if it is painful. It is clear that it is only in Christ and the hope of glory (Rom. 5:2) that we can find our source of hope that will hold our souls steadfast (Heb. 6:19). And the benefits of having hope far outweigh the negatives, like Job might say, even if it kills me, hope in God is still the best choice! Hosea 12:6b, seems like the perfect conclusion to an overview of hope and has given me a direction for the coming days: “Maintain love and justice, and always put your hope in God” (CSB).

References

Easten, M. (1897). Hope - Easton's Bible Dictionary Online. biblestudytools.com. https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/eastons-bible-dictionary/hope.html.

Nelson, W. B. (1996). Hope - Meaning & Definition - Baker's Bible Dictionary. biblestudytools.com. https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/hope.html.

Steele, R. (2015). Hebrew-Greek key word study Bible: key insights into God's word: New King James version. AMG Publishers.

For the last paper, I had to integrate the psychology research on hope with the biblical world view. This paper also received 100%.

Abounding in Hope: Integrative Synthesis

In this last paper on my research on the topic of becoming someone who abounds in hope, I will integrate the thoughts from the field of positive psychology and biblical theology. I will discuss the points of congruence, areas where the fields complement and complete each other as well as the area where there remains some tension between the two in my mind. I will then provide a brief synthesis of the topic and conclude with my thoughts of the application of hope to those incarcerated based on the research and personal experience.

Integrative Summary

Points of congruence

In the study done by Prestin (2013), she showed underdog films to participants and found that participants left with a higher level of hope after viewing the struggle. I found this to line up with scripture very well, in fact Romans 5:3-5 tells us that we should even brag about our problems because we know that it will eventually produce in us a hope that does not disappoint. Similarly, in Romans 12:12 we are told that we should rejoice in hope, be patient through the difficulties and keep on praying. It was the struggle of the underdog that produced the hope in the participants, not even the eventual outcome. Similarly, scripture is available to show us many examples of where hope seemed lost, but the underdog-with God’s help, was able to prevail. Probably the most famous of all underdog stories is the story of David and Goliath (1 Sam. 17) which has inspired many sermons, books, and movies throughout the centuries to build hope in others.

Points of complement

In the area of hope, psychology and theology actually complement each other very well. In the research done by Schrank, Standhellini, and Slade (2008) and by Snyder (1995), all point to the idea that hope was important in lowering suicide rates as well as increasing positive outcomes in therapy. In scripture we see many of the same trends, David tells his soul not to be dejected but to put his hope in God (Ps. 42:5) which seems to me like Old Testament era therapy. The prophet Jeremiah told the people that if they would return to God that there are plans for their well-being, which included a future and a hope (29:11, 31:17). If we consider the aspect that shame often contributes to suicide, the Bible tells us that those that hope in God will not be put to shame (Is. 49:23).

Points of completion

In my research, defining hope seemed to be one of the most difficult tasks. What is hope? I think by combining some of the psychological with the theological we get a more complete understanding of the term. Schrank et al. (2008) had 49 different definitions assigned to hope in the research his team went through. Some terms included emotional feelings and others a state of mind. The most common term was “an expectation”. Schmid (2019) is between the two perspective and more philosophical in his definition of hope. His perspective is that hope is the present time between two things, that it much more of a journey then a destination, or a process of choosing to live and live well.

When I looked to the theological definition of hope, there are two words regularly used in the Bible. The Greek word elpis which is the confident expectation of good (Steele, 2015) and the Hebrew word qawa which means to wait, look, and hope for. The root meaning of qawa comes from a term used for being twisted like a rope (Steele, 2015; Nelson, 1996), which made me consider the research by Schmid (2019) regarding the aspect of hope being a process. However, in scripture, there is almost always the insinuation that we are to place our hope in God (Ps. 31:24, 37:9, 42:5) and that God is the source of all hope (Rom. 15:13).

I think it is only when taken as a whole, that this area of definition is complete. Without understanding that the Biblical interpretation always being focused on placing our hope in God then there is not much point to just have an expectation. An expectation for what? It is only in placing our hope in a God that never fails that we can have a true, lasting, and meaningful hope that will abound beyond our current circumstances.

Points of competition or conflict

The greatest point of tension between the research in psychology and the biblical worldview would be in using hope as goal setting. Snyder (1995) used hope and tested it in a clinical setting and felt that by creating goals this would resolve problems in the client’s low levels of hope. Yalcin and Malkoc (2014) said that hopeful people were able to have a better life and higher levels of subjective well-being, but also placed the definition of hope into the goal setting realm. From a biblical perspective, hope is an essential Christian character and is not something we can achieve, but it is a belief we place in a faithful God (Easton, 1897). We cannot simply task ourselves with goals and call it hope, we must be filled with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 15:13).

Synthesis

Hope is an unseen struggle between what is and what is yet to be. It is a process that happens in the current time and is essential to living well (Schmid, 2019). It is necessary for successful outcomes in therapy (Shrank et. al, 2008) and establishes a base for creating meaningful goals in life (Snyder, 1995). Hope is the process of being all turned and twisted through the difficulties in life until you become stronger than what you started out as, like a rope holding an anchor steadfast in rough waters (Steele, 2015; Nelson 1996). It is the process of living our lives in the unknown between our faith in God and the love He commands us to have for Him and each other (1 Cor. 13:13). Hope is the glue between the knowledge and the action that gives us access to other virtues like courage and perseverance (Heb. 3:6, 2 Cor. 3:12). In order to live a life full of subjective well-being, hope is essential (Yalcin, 2014) but the only source of true and lasting hope, is Jesus Christ our Lord (1 Tim. 1:1, Rom. 15:13).

Application

As seen in the study done by Vignansky, Addad, and Himi (2018) hope for those in adverse circumstances is vital in their outcomes. In their study they interviewed recently released prisoners that had found religion in prison and had turned their lives around. If we consider that it might have been Christianity that they discovered while sitting in prison, it is very likely they found the source of all hope, Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 1:1).

In application, I think preaching the Gospel becomes a vital part of the rehabilitation effort for those incarcerated. It is during this time that many have lost all hope and are desperately needing something to hold onto. Maybe this is why the writer of Hebrews tells is to remember those in prison, like we were there with them (13:3) or Jesus in his teaching in Matthew 25, that we should visit those in prison (v. 36, 45). While in prison, many of these individuals have hit rock bottom and need a lifeline. Many face lengthy incarcerations and consider suicide as the best option. Since I believe firmly that most people will not change or come to Christ outside of a crisis once in adulthood, this is an opportunity for the Gospel to be planted in ready soil (Matt. 13:1-8). In order to abound in hope, it means that we must be willing to share what hope we have. As Christians, we believe that the message of salvation, forgiveness of sins, and promise of eternity is where our hope rests. This means that we place our hope in a God who is faithful to keep his promises. It does not mean we have the answers or the solutions to every problem, but we can offer this same hope to someone else.

My own prison ministry is very small, but it is providing hope to many. What I share with my husband who is wrongfully incarcerated, is then preached as hope to the hurting to those around him. More importantly, it is lived out in front of many who are unwilling to hear a word about Jesus but watch lives closely. He can go out and be salt and light, be different and show others a different way of being. Even though it has been a full year since I have been able to see him, and the ability for others to bring in the Good News has been halted, God has placed some of his best men inside the walls, in order to reap a harvest at one of the darkest times in our modern lives.

Conclusion

To conclude, hope has become a vital aspect of my Christian faith as it allows me to place my present unrest, into an eternal perspective. I was pleased to see that in most aspects psychology and theology align themselves well on this topic, as illustrated in the points of the underdog struggle, the lowered risk of suicide and defining hope. I hope that with spiritual enlightenment that more people will place their hope in God, the source of all hope, instead of in their own personal achievements or goal setting. I am also inspired by the practical application to continuing to pursue the Holy Spirit for more hope so that I can share it with those that do not have a knowledge of the hope that I have, yet.

References

Easten, M. (1897). Hope - Easton's Bible Dictionary Online. biblestudytools.com. https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/eastons-bible-dictionary/hope.html.

Nelson, W. B. (1996). Hope - Meaning & Definition - Baker's Bible Dictionary. biblestudytools.com. https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionaries/bakers-evangelical-dictionary/hope.html.

Prestin, A. (2013). The Pursuit of Hopefulness: Operationalizing Hope in Entertainment Media Narratives. Media Psychology, 16(3), 318–346. https://doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2013.773494

Schmid, P. F. (2019). The power of hope: person-centered perspectives on contemporary personal and societal challenges. Person-Centered & Experiential Psychotherapies, 18(2), 121–138. https://doi.org/10.1080/14779757.2019.1618371

Schrank, B., Stanghellini, G., & Slade, M. (2008). Hope in psychiatry: a review of the literature. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica, 118(6), 421–433. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0447.2008.01271.x

Snyder, C. R. (1995). Conceptualizing, Measuring, and Nurturing Hope. Journal of Counseling & Development, 73, 355–360.

Steele, R. (2015). Hebrew-Greek key word study Bible: key insights into God's word: New King James version. AMG Publishers.

Vignansky, E., Addad, M., & Himi, H. (2018). Despair Will Hold You Prisoner, Hope Will Set You Free: Hope and Meaning Among Released Prisoners. The Prison Journal, 98(3), 334–358. https://doi.org/10.1177/0032885518764920

Yalçın, I., & Malkoç, A. (2014). The Relationship Between Meaning in Life and Subjective Well-Being: Forgiveness and Hope as Mediators. Journal of Happiness Studies, 16(4), 915–929. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-014-9540-5

Lastly, I was also required to create a video presentation to articulate my findings succinctly for my classmates. My professor gave me 100% on my presentation and actually requested to send it to the dean of Biola as a representation of the work of the Applied Psychology program.