Hope is not looking on the bright side. Hope is believing God is who He said He is and He’s doing what He said he would do. At times, in light of what we’re going through, it can seem foolish and irrational to hope. Hope anyways. It may not replace the sorrow, but it will carry you through.

I said this to a client the other day and it was one of those times when the Holy Spirit was so kind to minister to both of us with words from my mouth. This is one of my favorite parts of being a therapist: the perfect words for the moment come out of my mouth and I know they aren’t from me.

Seventeen years ago, in a time of tremendous loss, I got the call to hope.  Two more times within that year God showed me I was living without it and this was why I felt so weary.  Something needed to change.

I had been a therapist for about 10 years at this point, walking with people through their trials and sorrows. Wanting to offer an emotional connection, I did my best to be with people in their pain. But I was so focused on the pain, that I was walking around heavy and burdened (Matt 11:28) and the strain was taking its toll. This call to hope was a life line. And looking back I see how desperately I needed it. Still do. Difficulties and tragedies are all around us. If we don’t choose hope, and it is a choice, the weight will drag us down (Proverbs 13:12).

So, I began to believe in things that did not look remotely true to me. I believed God was at work when I couldn’t see it anywhere.  And, my, what a difference it made:  life brightened. Was it because God was working through a more active faith or was it simply the new point of view? Both, I think. Over the years, I’ve become convinced that putting my hope in what God has promised welcomes and ushers in His work (1Thess 2:13). Though the most immediate affect of hope is a lighter spirit.

Since then, I’ve learned there are two key things with hope. The first is about where you put it. With God, you can trust that He’s always up to something good (Romans 8:28). It may not be what you want, but it will be good. I bank on this. It is almost always my first thought when something difficult comes around. I know You’re in this God, doing something good. I seek that good now. The second is to keep it active. It has to be a thought that is running through my mind all the time if it is going to bear much fruit in my heart and my circumstance (Romans 12:2). It is not looking on the bright side. It’s staring tragedy and trial right in the face and saying, You won’t win. God has something for me here. It’s pressing into this confidence minute by minute until the peace, the hope comes. Then right back at it when it disappears again. This pleases God immensely and welcomes His goodness into our lives (Hebrews 11:6).

I consider that our present sufferings are not comparable to the glory that will be revealed in us.

Romans 8:18

Photo by Federico Respini on Unsplash

On a totally different note:  I have someone helping me with a new website that will make viewing and reading my blog much easier. I’m so excited!! Stay tuned!