Somebody once said, "blessed are those who expect nothing, for they will never be disappointed." True enough, but is that really how anyone wants to live? Is the path to serenity paved with apathy?
You might say, "I don't know and I don't care." If you did, you would be among millions of Americans who choose to live a life detached, not truly alive in fact, but simply existing!
Daring to hope creates the possibility of disappointment!
HOPE creates opportunity for fulfillment and joy!
The true foundation of lasting hope is God’s care. The ancient preacher says - "Do not trust a neighbor; put no confidence in a friend. Even with her who lies in your embrace be careful of your words. But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me." (Micah 7:5,7 NIV)
Paul was inspired to give us this direction. "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment." (1 Timothy 6:17, NIV)
People, even those who are close, may abandon you when you
need them most.
Wealth, here today, lost tomorrow, can never provide real security.
But, the Lord sustains hope through times of sickness, war, recession, and even
death.
What does it mean to 'put our hope in God?'
We transfer our expectations to His
promises -
that He will provide what we need, not what we want;
that His love will never fail or falter,
that "He is faithful, even when we
are faithless;"
that He gives us eternal life through Christ Jesus.
Even professing Christians sometimes get it wrong, thinking they are hoping in the Lord, while in reality making God into a kind of personal magician who is expected to grant them all the joys of this present world, with little or no passion for spiritual things.
Hope in God enters into our present pain. It does not seek to escape it. More times than I can remember, I have stood with families who have come to grief, with those who have a diagnosis of terminal disease, with people whose lives have gone upside down. I too have known that kind of experience. My choice? I wait in hope. I trust God.
That choice is not always the easy or simple one! It is made in faith in God, the assurance I know that He can keep us when we hurt, hold us together when life is crumbling, and do what is beyond my comprehension at the moment. This kind of faith does not erase the pain of missed expectations. But, it allows real hope to grow.
Are you struggling to make sense of life today?
Is some disappointment causing you anguish?
Have you given up hope, choosing to live in apathy?
Put your hope in God! In faith, accept the love of Jesus, deep, sustaining, limitless love. Pray that the Holy Spirit will change your heart so that you will come to desire His love and let Him become the reason you live. Actively hand over your doubts and disappointments to Him in prayer. Look upwards beyond your present ache, feelings of lack, and/or fears and a new tomorrow will take shape.
Here's a word from the Word. "We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure." (Hebrews 6:11, NIV) "We who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever." (Hebrews 6:18-20, NIV)
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