The 3 Levels of Hope: Are You Surviving, Thriving, or Overflowing?

“But I will hope continually and will yet praise thee more and more.” – Psalm 71:14 KJV

How does one hope continually?

Life happens. Storms roll in. Setbacks come without warning. And even the most steadfast believer can feel their hope begin to evaporate like the morning dew under a scorching sun.

Hope.

Where does it come from? How do we move beyond just surviving and step into thriving hope—or even better, overflowing hope?

Some days, hope feels fragile—like we are barely holding on. Other days, it feels like we can press forward with confidence. But God doesn’t intend for our hope to fluctuate with the seasons of life. He desires that our hope be steadfast, anchored in Him.

There are three levels of hope we often find ourselves in: Survival Hope, Thriving Hope, and Overflowing Hope. So, if you would, pause a moment, and pray and ask the Lord Jesus  to open your heart, let’s  look at what the Holy Bible has to say about hope, and find practical ways to move from barely hanging on to walking in overflowing hope.

Survival Hope: Just Holding On

This is the lowest level of hope—the kind that barely gets us through the day. It’s knowing what the Word says but feeling too weak to grasp it fully. It’s telling yourself, “Tomorrow might be better,” while today feels unbearable. It’s praying because you know you should – but you feel your prayers are going nowhere.

Have you ever been there? I sure have.

One of the deepest seasons of Survival Hope I ever walked through was when my dad, both of my grandparents, and my spiritual mother all passed away within a two-year period. It felt like wave after wave of loss, each one hitting before I could catch my breath from the last.

During that time, I was constantly traveling—back and forth between the Chicago area, where I lived, my dad’s house in Indiana, and my grandparents’ home in Georgia. I was grieving, yet helping with some of the caregiving,  and trying to be strong for others. My spirit was exhausted, my body weary, and my heart stretched thin.

I knew God was with me. And I knew He was sustaining me. Yet, there were several moments when my hope went from flowing freely, to drying up to what felt like a slow drip.

Maybe you’re there now. Maybe life has hit you in ways you never expected, and you’re just trying to get through the day. If that’s where you are, I want to remind you: You are not alone. God has not abandoned you. Even when your hope feels small, even when your strength is gone, He is holding you.

Hope—even survival hope—is still hope.

Biblical Examples of Survival Hope

• David – “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” (Psalm 42:11)

• Elijah – “I, even I only, am left” (1 Kings 19:10). The great prophet who had called down fire from heaven hid in a cave, feeling abandoned and hopeless.

  
  

• Jeremiah – The weeping prophet, cast into a pit, cried out in despair, wondering if he would ever see hope again (Jeremiah 38:6).

How to Respond to Survival Hope

1.     Worship in the Darkness – David sang before the Lord, even when he felt abandoned. He poured out his heart, but he also turned his mourning into worship. When hope is weak, put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness (Isaiah 61:3).

2.     Tell God the Truth – David didn’t sugarcoat his prayers. He was brutally honest: “God, where are You? Why aren’t You helping me?” And yet, he always came back to hope.

3.     Rest and Be Ministered To – Elijah collapsed in exhaustion, but God didn’t rebuke him. Instead, He sent an angel to feed him and let him sleep (1 Kings 19:5-7). Sometimes, the best way to regain hope is to rest in God’s presence and let Him renew your strength.

Survival Hope isn’t where God wants you to stay. It’s a season, not a destination.

Thriving Hope: Standing on His Promises

This level of hope is stronger—you’re not just surviving, you’re growing. You still face challenges, but you’ve learned to stand on God’s promises. Your hope is active, not passive.

Biblical Examples of Thriving Hope

• Abraham – “Who against hope believed in hope” (Romans 4:18). Even when everything looked hopeless, he trusted God’s word over his circumstances.

• Job – “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15). Job endured unbearable suffering, but he never let go of hope in God’s faithfulness.

•   Hannah – She prayed through her pain, refusing to give up. And in time, God gave her the desire of her heart (1 Samuel 1:10-20).

How to Cultivate Thriving Hope

1.     Speak Life Over Your Situation – Life and death are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). Declare God’s promises even when you don’t feel them yet.

2.     Find Strength in the Testimony of Others – Read faith-building stories, both in Scripture and in modern testimonies, to remind yourself that God is still working miracles.

3.     Surround Yourself with Hopeful People – Hope is contagious. Connect with believers who encourage and uplift you.

Thriving Hope means you are rooted and growing. You’re learning to live in expectation of God’s goodness. But there’s one more level of hope…

 Overflowing Hope

This is the highest level of hope—the kind that spills over into the lives of others. This is the hope that radiates from a believer who knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is in control.

Biblical Examples of Overflowing Hope

• Paul & Silas – After being beaten and thrown into prison, they sang at midnight (Acts 16:25). Their hope in God didn’t just sustain them—it led to the salvation of the jailer and his family.

• The Apostle John – Exiled toPatmos, he didn’t sink into despair. Instead, he received the powerful revelation of Jesus Christ.

• Mary, the Mother of Jesus – She faced impossible circumstances, yet she fully trusted God’s plan and praised Him in advance (Luke 1:46-55).

How to Walk in Overflowing Hope

• Praise Before the Answer Comes – Paul & Silas praised before their chains broke. Worship releases faith!

•   Be a Hope-Giver – Encourage someone else. Sometimes, the best way to strengthen your own hope is to speak life into someone else’s situation.

• Anchor Yourself in the Eternal – Overflowing hope isn’t based on circumstances, but on who God is. Stay focused on the bigger picture—eternity with Him.

Final Thoughts: We Are Not Without Hope

“That at that time ye were without Christ… having no hope, and without God in the world.” (Ephesians 2:12)

But we are not without hope! We have the God of all hope living inside us.

Nona Freeman, in her book In the Bag, wrote about the black cloud of despair that can settle over a believer. But she also spoke of how hope in God’s faithfulness can break through the darkest season. The garment of praise isn’t just a poetic phrase—it’s a strategy for survival, a tool for thriving, and a lifestyle for overflow living.

No matter where you find yourself today—in survival, in thriving, or in overflow—hope is not lost. It is alive in Jesus Christ. And as long as you hope continually, you will yet praise Him more and more.

I Believe In Your Hope Growth

So, my friend, I want you to know that I believe in your Hope Growth. And I also want you to know that you are not alone. God created us for community and we all need each other.

 Sometimes, I’m strong, and I can reach out and lift you up, or go to my knees in prayer for you.   And sometimes, I am in the one in need of your prayers and encouraging words. But the bottom line is that if we will link arms virtually in this blog post, on other online platforms, or in person we all grow our hope. And that is what I want to help do you for you today. I want to help grow your hope. So tell me, how may I best pray for you today? Send me a private message or leave a comment and I promise you that I really will call your name in prayer and ask the God of all hope to come to you, to bless and strengthen you, and to meet your need according to His will and righteousness.

Much Love and Hugs,

Debbie