Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Taking a Break But Have Hope

For you that have been following my blog, thank you.  I will be away from access for a period of time and need to take a pause on writing.  I will let you know when I have resumed writing, but for now, thanks for following.


For a short last entry, let's look at hope.  No other emotion can sustain life more than hope.  Anger and revenge can motivate you only so long; self-confidence in your own abilities will go along way; but HOPE is a driving emotion that propels beyond human ability through the toughest of circumstances.


I have a friend whose college-age son has a brain tumor that continues to return; often times with great speed.  Assisted in prayer by her friends and hope in Christ, as the great healer, Hope continues to hold her up as she faces the hospitals and the news that is often negative.


Men and women who have found themselves in the most desperate situations of peril have survived due to hope; usually hope in God.  These are life changing, life enduring times where there is no where else to turn.  It is then that we turn to our Creator; even the most devout atheist and agnostic call out to God when "all else fails" them.  


Hope can take us miles beyond what we can normally walk; Hope can sustain us with joy through years of chronic pain; Hope can enable us to get through the loss of a child, a sibling, a parent or friend.  Lack of hope can take us to suicide, depression or unhealthy habits - searching for some meaning in life.  


Hope is not a man-made emotion; it is built in everyone by our Creator, but some have never accessed it.  They see no future; see no life beyond this world... but there is; there is another Kingdom that springs with hope.


Hope is what drives me through every day; Faith is what allows my hope to be so real.  For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees?  But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it. Rom 8:24-25 NASU  Knowing that those that place their faith in Christ will spend eternity in a place prepared for us is my sustaining hope.

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  For by it the men of old gained approval.  By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. Heb 11:1-3 NASB  


If you are going though a difficult time, your faith in Christ can sustain you.  Don't worry that it is a crutch; those that are broken need help to heal.  The best time to place your trust, faith and hope in your Creator is right now; you will grow in Him and when the difficult time comes like a storm... and it will come, you will be ready to hold tight to the Savior of the World.