It has been said, if it were not for hope, the heart would break. The reason that statement is so powerful is because of the inherent truth in it. Have you had your heart broken? We toss around the concept of a broken heart so easily. Although we have all been hurt, most people have never 
really had their heart broken. I mean broken to the core, shattered, where there is darkness and there is no light. It is a sad prospect I know but some people have been there in their lives where they have lost all hope.
You know, God does not want you to live without hope. The Bible describes faith, hope, and love, these three, as being characteristic of the life God wants people to live. I want to spend some time on part two: hope.
First, let me clarify that there is a context of brokenness that can be good for us. This is when our foolish rebellion and self-centered outer shell is broken apart to provide Gods Holy Spirit access to places in our hearts that were previously very well guarded. (Psalm 51:17) It is this very access that Jesus was referring to when He said, to professing Christians I might add; I stand at the door and knock.
But Gods heart for us is that we would have hope. So what is hope? Many are confused because we have changed it in the way we use it today so that it seems to mean the same as a wish. I hope I can go to the beach or I hope I get the new job becomes synonymous with my wishes. But hope in the Bible is not a wish. It speaks of a confident expectation that something good will happen. Hope describes an inner confidence in a positive future event that is held firmly by faith. You have heard the phrase the light at the end of the tunnel. Someone who has hope can be in a dark place but see that there is light, there is direction, there is an end to the pain, there is purpose; there is a better season ahead. God wants people to have hope. (For I know the thoughts that I think toward you says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11)
When we lose all hope, we slip into discouragement, depression, despondency, and despair. One of the most important things to know when tragedy strikes our lives is where Gods heart is on the matter. Does God enjoy our pain or does God want to heal it?
Psalm 147:3 give us the answer; He heals the broken hearted and binds up their wounds. Jesus pronounced blessings to those who are hurt and broken. If you have felt that way, you need to know God does not want you to stay there. He wants to heal you. He wants to be your great physician. We must open the door and let Him come in. When we let God do heart surgery on us, we get healed. Is it a bit painful? Usually. But can you imagine any surgical procedure where there is no pain? But you do get healed, and His healing is good.
In two days, we will be celebrating Palm Sunday when Jesus triumphal entrance into Jerusalem is remembered. A lot of the time, discussions regarding this day are centered around the fulfilled prophecies and the fickleness of a people who herald Jesus as King only to cry for His extermination a few days later. But this time I want you to see it from the perspective of Jesus; it was to be a day of hope. For most of His ministry Jesus was telling those who knew Who He really was to keep it quiet. But a desperate people need hope. Jesus was about ready to be crucified and most did not yet realize it. His followers would need hope. For them, it would be just a micro-glimpse of Jesus in His glory that might give them focus beyond the pain. He is still doing the same today, revealing a light to illuminate the pathway out of the cave to a glorious place. (Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105) God wants us to have real hope in our lives and He wants it to be grounded in Him. (Titus 2:13)