How do we carry the candle of Hope?
Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
The word hope in the New Testament comes from the Greek word “Elpis” which means expectation, trust, and confidence, and comes from the root word elpo, which means to anticipate with great pleasure. Hope can also be a belief that what is probable is not inevitable and is usually accompanied by a belief that something will happen against the probable odds. Like David beats Goliath. Hope is an important component of the Christian faith and serves as a foundational element for a belief system in a higher power and a God that is greater and more capable than we are. Hope allows us to believe that change is possible and that in the hard places of our lives there can also be good. Life can be good and hard all at the same time. In Isaiah, we’re told that in these hard places, we can find treasure, secret goodness that can come only out of the ashes of our difficult circumstances. “I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.” Isaiah 45:3
But where does hope come from and how do we make a practice of it in our own lives? Christian hope is hope in God. The confident affirmation that God is faithful, that He will complete what He has begun. It is the expectation that God will fulfill his purposes and promises.
I believe we must also acknowledge the light and the dark. Hope is not blind optimism nor is it blissful ignorance. If we can acknowledge that dark and light are intertwined and possibly inseparable we can then come up against a dark wall and see the light that shines through the cracks. This is hope in action. Hope allows us to be free from our own anxious hearts if we allow ourselves and others to be taken care of by God now and for our future. This freedom allows us to live more open-minded and open-hearted. Free to love and be loved in a broken imperfect world full of imperfect people. We all are drawn to the light in this world but we must never forget that God made life out of the darkness. Barbara Brown Taylor’s quote says it best, “new life starts in the dark whether a seed in the ground, a baby in the womb or Jesus in the tomb.”
We all have the ability to carry the light of hope with us wherever we go. We also can choose to share our hope with others, believing that just one spark of hope can ignite a fire of hope in the hearts of all those we are in a relationship with. May we never stop believing.
How do we practice hope?
The Bible is full of stories of how God showed up and provided refuge and rescue over and over again. God asked His people to remember what He has done and He asks us to remember the ways in which He has shown up for us too. One practical suggestion is to create a timeline or record of your story and all the ways God fulfilled his promises to you in your own unique journey. Recall the ways He has provided, how He has turned disappointments and failures around, or changed your heart in a unique way to see your unchanged circumstances differently. If you can’t recall your own stories, think of your greater family, of generations past. Write the stories of resilience that have been passed down from generation to generation. Make a record of these stories that you can refer to when you need an extra dose of hope. Ask God to show you his hope for you in your particular circumstance.
Scripture inspiration:
Isaiah 40:31 But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be fain
Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
