If you are feeling disillusioned about the Christian life, I recommend this sermon from Tim Keller on biblical hope. Not only is it tremendous preaching, but Keller also talks about the beginning of Redeemer Presbyterian church.
Some of the quotes I took from this sermon.
The English word that always translates the Greek word for “hope” never translates it well.
Biblical hope is life changing certainty about the future . . . being certain about the future in a way that affects how you live now.
You and I are unavoidably and irreducibly hope based creatures. We are controlled how we live now, but what we think will happen latter. Christian hope has to do with the ultimate future, not the immediate.
Keller quotes three things Jonathan Edwards (in a sermon on Christian hope and happiness) says about Christian hope.
(1) Your bad things will turn out for the ultimate good.
(2) Your good things can never be taken away from you.
(3) The best things are yet to come.
One more Keller quote:
People who do not have a proper understanding of Christian hope are always freaked out.
