Optimism vs. Hope

Optimism and hope are not quite the same thing. Optimism requires a belief in progress—that things will in fact get better for me. Hope includes all the psychological advantages of optimism, but it is rooted in something deeper. When I hope, I believe that God is at work to redeem all things regardless of how things happen to be turning out for me today. Hope does not prevent me from expecting the worst—“the worst is what the hopeful are prepared for.” (John Ortberg)