Hope is no ‘ugly sister’

Hope may be a neglected virtue, but recent medical research points to its life-changing and health-giving benefits, writes Eric Gaudion.

It turns out that hope is not just a great Christian virtue – it is now officially recognised as having tangible medical benefits.

A recent study funded by the British Heart Foundation reviewed the research data on 5,540 patients with coronary heart disease, stroke or heart valve problems. Hopelessness was associated with a sixfold higher death risk from heart disease in men with pre-existing heart conditions. Even among men who did not have cardiovascular issues, lack of hope still more than doubled the risk of death.

Meanwhile, the report found, higher levels of hope were protective against angina in women, and in stroke patients were linked to a much lower risk of post-stroke fatigue. The research also included psychological data, showing that having more hope was linked to lower levels of depression and anxiety, improved resilience and quality of life.

Hope is one of the three “eternal virtues” of 1 Corinthians 13:13: “Now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Yet, sadly, hope is often the ugly sister of this little trinity, neglected and living in the shadow of its more famous siblings, faith and love. We generally teach that love will last forever, but we need to recognise that hope is an abiding virtue too.

… story continues