Hope: a wish or desire supported by some confidence of its fulfillment. (American Heritage Dictionary)
“I hope so” is often what we say when there’s something we really want to happen. It might be just a wish, or it could be something we have our heart set on. Either way, we can’t be sure we’ll get what we want. The dictionary’s definition, however, is far more reassuring. It sounds a lot like biblical faith. Confidence in what we’re hoping for makes waiting easier.
Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. (Hebrews 11:1)