If we have been hoping and the yeshuah has not yet come — we should continue hoping! The Navi in Hoshea (12:7) tells us, “וְקַוֵּה אֶל אֱלֹקיךָ תָמִיד” — “Hope to your G-d always.” Likewise, in Tehillim (25:5), David HaMelech declares, “אוֹתְךָ קִוִּיתִי כָּל הַיּוֹם” — “I have hoped to You all day.”

Rabbeinu Yonah explains that the tzaddikim understand the immense reward and spiritual benefit gained from hoping in Hashem, so they are not troubled when their salvation takes time. Instead, “They rejoice at all times that they have been able to set their hope upon G-d, to place their expectation in His kindness. The longer their hope continues and is delayed, the more they delight in the service they perform for G-d through hope and trust.”

Every moment spent hoping draws us closer to Hashem. That closeness itself may be the very purpose for which the challenge was given. Each second of genuine hope brings immense reward, awakens Hashem’s middah of chesed, and channels more blessing into our lives.

We never know how much hope is needed to bring the yeshuah. Often, just one more moment of sincere hope could be the tipping point — which is exactly why the yetzer hara works so hard to make us give up. It knows the power of hope and how quickly it can change everything. The longer we keep hoping, the greater the flow of bracha and compassion we invite from Hashem.