The Hope You Give/ My Modern Day Journey in Faith/”Truth Series”

When did you start to lose hope?

Was it when you first first got your heart broken? Or was it when you lost trust in something or someone? 

Was it when you found out your parents were not always truthful with you? Or was it when you lost someone you really loved?

I ask these questions because I see so many of us, scrambling to believe the worst before choosing to hope for the best. 

I have not always been the glass half full person, but I know the exact time when I began to lose my hope. 

Have you ever wondered why bad news spreads much quicker than the good news? It is because most of us find ourselves waiting for the other shoe to drop no matter how amazing and blessed our lives are. 

And as much as I hate to say it, misery loves company as well. This is why in person and online bullying has become more of an issue. 

I can agree that we have all dealt with this at some point in our lives, but nowadays people are downright hateful. 

Again I ask you, when did you start losing hope? 

As children, we easily place hope into what we were surrounded by. Our parents love, guidance, discipline, example, and them just being there was all the hope we need day to day.

I bring this up because this seemingly small thing was what I built my hope around at a young age. I knew other kids who had parents who did not care for them, yet they still hoped. And nothing or no one would deter them from that hope. 

It is the small things that build up our hope muscle. Whether it be from promises kept, dreams fulfilled, love reciprocated, guaranteed service; these things build us up in the hope department. Yet, here we are facing an uncomfortable and devastating crisis…and many of us are ready to give up. 

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Romans 12:12

“For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Romans 8:24-25

I have spoken in previous blog posts on having patience. Even as we embark on a new normal I am faced with the constant question of “When will all of this be over?”

I know I am not the only one thinking this because this question is the topic of many conversations. And unfortunately there is no real answer to this question, yet God continues to wake us up daily, clothe us in our right minds, provide roofs over our heads, and food in our bellies. So, with all of these blessings, how much hope do you give? 

“But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

Each day there is a conscious decision that has to be made to be hopeful instead of hopeless. The world is giving us so many examples of hopelessness, and the enemy is wrapping his deceit around every one who is open enough to hear. 

The media plays a huge part in getting these negative thoughts and feelings into us. Everything starts with a seed, and God already said we just need a mustard seed of faith to move mountains. So what do you think happens with a small seed of doubt?

The hope we give is what separates us from what so many others are struggling with today. The hope we give is what will help many turn from the negative to embrace the positive. The hope we give will allow for some conversations that need to be had. The hope we give will allow for God to show unbelievers what true believers experience when you trust in Him. 

This week I challenge you to work on how much hope you are giving not only to others but to yourself. Are you trusting in God or trusting in social media? Are you trusting in God or are you trusting the nightly news? Are you trusting in God or are you trusting Google? 

Each one of us has a responsibility assigned by our Creator to talk the talk but also walk the walk. I want you to meditate on these bible verses this week as you work on your hope…

“Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:2-5

As always you got this!

Sincerely,

Terryn