With everything that has gone on in the world recently, a word that I can’t stop thinking about is Hope.
I think everyone could agree that a hopeful attitude is a good thing. But what exactly is hope? Can it be learned? Centuries of folk wisdom and religious teaching have taught the benefits of a hopeful attitude. Researchers believe that hope may be associated with good health and greater success, both personally and professionally.
But what exactly is hope?
Dictionary.com says that “hope is the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.” Hope can also be an attitude, a state of mind, or a goal. We can hope for something, we can be hopeful, or we can create a sense of hope.
Actor Christopher Reeve had every intention of walking again, and had he lived, I would not have been surprised to see him do so. His determination was led by a strong sense of hope. He once said “Once you choose hope, anything’s possible.” I believe he chose hope.
This past weekend we celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. day. In a speech called The Trumpet of Conscience, King said “If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so today I still have a dream.”
We live in a time where hope seems fleeting every day. We read stories in the paper, watch the nightly news or read blogs online that we live in times where there seems to be little hope. 100,000 innocent people die and we do not have reasons why, that for many people, takes away any existence of hope.
However, in all other things being equal – a hopeful attitude helps overcome obstacles. I have seen people rise out of what seems like impossible situations. It is people like that who can express how important it was for them, to never give up hope.
So what gives you hope? My hope comes from a number of places.
First, I find myself hopeful because of my faith in God. My faith drives my belief that through hope I have the ability for active participation in the world in order to help others live and experience a better world. I know we live in a broken world and I am determined to help others find a sense of hope in their lives. My faith tells me that I have a God who loves me and who cares for me in all areas of my life. Even though I am broken, God is there to help me and to make me whole again, and that gives me hope.
I am also hopeful because of my family. I love going home to my family every night. When I see my family I am energized and hopeful again. It is through them that I experience unfailing, never ending love. It is through them that I am able to envision a future that is bright, and full of possibilities. Being a parent and husband are the two most satisfying things in my life.
Lastly, I am hopeful because of my job. I know I am called to be a pastor because of all the amazing things I have the opportunity to do every day. I am able to spend time reading and reflecting on the Word of God, I am able to engaged in conversation about the word of God and see its impact in people’s lives. I am able to walk with people through the most joyous times in their lives and saddest as well. And in every situation I see hope. I see opportunities for new life, new birth and it is there that hope is present.
So where do you see hope in your life and the lives around you?
