In his blog, Major Dalton dives deeply into the nature of hope:

Authentic hope is a hard thing to kill. In the heart of the one who knows that outcome is not driven by perception or circumstance, hope may just be immortal.

In the 8th installment of the Star Wars saga, Kylo Ren, son of Han Solo & Princess Leia, has embraced the Dark Side of the force and bowed to the power of a Sith Lord named Snoke. Donned in a black robe and helmet like his grandfather Lord Vader, Ren believes he has crushed the rebellion once and for all. But Snoke knows better.

Returning from an apparent victory for the Dark Side, Ren is chastised by his master.

Snoke: "You are no Vader. You're just a child in a mask."
Kylo Ren: "I gave everything I had to you; to the Darkside."
Snoke: "Skywalker lives. The seed of the Jedi lives. As long as he does, hope exists."

Rebellions will live as long as they are led. It is true in the Star Wars universe. It is true in ours as well.

Some people live as though hope is a concept reserved to the "long ago," or relegated to a "galaxy far away." Hate reigns, lies rule, and fear sits as a monarch in the hearts of those who have surrendered to despair. But there is a rebellion subverting hate, lies, and fear. A counter-cultural existence led by a lowly Galilean carpenter. Some believe he died long ago. But he lives! And because he lives, hope exists!

So, the real question is not; "Is there hope?" There is hope in the universe! We only have to ask; "Is there hope in what we are presently trusting?"