The objects of our hope are . . .
all future,
all good, and
all promised.

This present world is a land of hope.
Heaven is a land of fruition.

But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
Romans 8:25

The highest object of our hope is perfect holiness, exact conformity to the Lord Jesus Christ–to be brought to such a state, that we shall glorify our God in every desire, thought, feeling, and action.

We hope for the period when we shall say:
farewell sickness–welcome perpetual health;
farewell sorrow–welcome everlasting joy;
farewell sin–welcome perfect purity;
farewell ignorance–welcome perfect knowledge;
farewell desertion–welcome the eternal presence of my God;
farewell death–welcome everlasting life!

Do we hope for these things? Then let us patiently wait for them.
The blessings we expect are worth waiting for–they are laid up for us in Heaven!

Faith believes the message respecting them,
hope longs to be put in possession,
love incites to grateful acknowledgments and holy walking,
ardent desire wants immediate enjoyment–

but patience is willing to wait. Her language is, “all the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come..”

Seasons of trouble seem long; but what are the longest seasons compared with eternity–an eternity of perfect blessedness?

Patient waiting insures an enlarged experience of Jehovah’s love and goodness. Your present journey will lead you to a place of repose. Your troubles will end well–everlastingly well!

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,
that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Romans 15:13

-James Smith, 1842
From “The Believer’s Companion in Seasons of Affliction and Trouble”