Hope
Hope is a funny thing. You have to have it. You can’t live without it. It is the air that our spirit needs to breathe. Hope gives courage, strength, and the will for us to go on.
There was a story about a boy who was playing his first baseball game. His Dad watched as the other team scored run after run. Finally, when the score was 18 to 0, his Dad went over to the bench to console his Son. He asked: “How are you doing Son? I see your team is down 18 runs.” The Son responded: “No problem, Dad. We haven’t been up to bat yet!” LOL. Yes, it may have been delusional, but it was full of hope.
“Where there is no hope for the future, there is no power in the present.” John Maxwell.
How can we expect to live lives of fulfillment and success without hope?
Here are a few things to remember when it comes to living with hope:
- Just because you can’t see a solution does not mean there isn’t one. Find the light switch if you want to see in the dark.
- When we are tested and stretched to our limits, we come face to face with who we really are. Stress reveals our character.
- Hope is contagious. When you are around someone who needs hope, you just have to remind them that there IS hope. It is like giving water to a person dying of thirst.
- There are a couple of things to remember: 1. This too shall pass. That in itself should give you hope. 2. The mountain you see in front of you may not be a mountain at all. In reality, it may just be a molehill. It all depends on how you look at it. From an ant’s perspective, it IS a mountain. From God’s perspective, it is NOTHING He can’t handle.
My hope for you is that whatever you are facing, whatever you are worried about, and whatever you have to decide upon, let hope fill your heart. Let go of the worry, fear, and anxiety you have embraced. Come to know the meaning of the word Shalom! It is not just what is Shalom, but who is Shalom. That too will give you hope!
When you think you have no hope, think again.
Dan Skognes