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“The people walking in darkness
have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of deep darkness
a light has dawned.”
Isaiah 9:2 (NIV)

As a young adult attending a country church off the beaten path, one of the highlights during the Christmas season was lighting the Advent candles. Each week a family would light the appropriate Advent candles and share a devotion with the congregation. At the time I didn’t fully grasp the significance of this wonderful tradition as I do today.

The Advent season connects the first coming of Christ in the manger in Bethlehem to His promised second coming. It marks the beginning of a journey toward light and hope.

The Candle of Hope: Light in the Darkness

The first candle signifies hope and it reminds us that even in seasons of grief, God’s light pierces through the deepest darkness.

But what is hope really? As a young Christian, the meaning of hope was more like wishful thinking instead of its true definition.

Understanding Hope Through the Bible’s Original Languages

To fully understand Scripture, I believe it’s essential to study the original languages of the Bible. In doing so, we uncover the deeper, true meanings of words, especially since Hebrew and Greek often use multiple words where we have just one. The way these words are used can significantly impact their meaning.

In the Hebrew language, two words capture the concept of hope: YAKHAL, and QAVAH. Both carry the meaning of “to wait” but QAVAH means to wait actively with anticipation, watching for God to act. The most familiar passage in scripture where we see QAHAV is Isaiah 40:31 (NIV):

“but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.”

This isn’t a sitting-on-your-hands kind of waiting. This is an active, eager, and expectant waiting; this kind of wait mounts up, runs and walks. It is a hopeful anticipation, an eagerness to see what God is going to do, and it is characterized by activity, not passivity.

Hope is a state of anticipation, a choice to look forward with expectation.

This kind of hope is reflected throughout Scripture. Isaiah writes, “I will wait for the LORD, who is hiding his face from the house of Jacob, and I will hope in him.” (Isaiah 8:17 ESV). Isaiah’s hope in this moment of silence and uncertainty wasn’t in circumstances improving but in God Himself. This theme appears repeatedly in the Psalms, as in Psalm 130:5 (NIV):

“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits,
and in His word, I put my hope”

Unlike optimism, which is about seeing the best in circumstances, biblical hope is anchored in a Person—God. It acknowledges the reality of suffering and hardship but chooses to trust in God’s faithfulness. This is the hope that sustained the prophet Hosea in dark times and the psalmist who declared,

“And now, Lord, for what do I wait (QAVAH)?
My hope (QAVAH) is in you”
Psalm 39:7 (NIV)

In the New Testament, this hope deepens with the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Once again hope wasn’t rooted in circumstances but in the risen Savior who conquered sin and death. As they looked back to the empty tomb, they could look forward with confidence to the promises of God.

Biblical hope looks back to the risen Jesus in order to look forward.

This same hope carries us through today.

Finding Hope in Widowhood

Hope, at its core, means to wait expectantly, which might seem like it should always feel joyful and uplifting. Yet, as widows, we know that hope and grief often walk hand in hand. Although we grieve the loss of our husbands, we can still hope with confidence because the Lord has promised to return for us. Just as He came as a baby in the manger in Bethlehem, bringing the hope of salvation, His second coming, the hope of eternity, is a promise we can cling to. Without the manger, we wouldn’t have the assurance of His return, and that gives us reason to celebrate—even in our sorrow.

God’s Promises Remain Steadfast

He is our comforter in sorrow, our provider in need, and our eternal source of hope.

May your heart echo the psalmist’s prayer: “Lord, what can I wait for? You are my hope.”

Lord, in this Advent season, we thank You for the gift of hope. For every widow who carries the weight of loss, may Your light shine brightly in her heart. Fill her with Your peace and joy, and remind her that she is deeply loved and never forgotten. Help her to place her hope in You, knowing that You are always faithful. Use her life as a beacon of hope to others.