Are you a hopeful person? Before you answer that, let’s spend a moment defining hope.
Hope is a word of unknown origins, but some say that it comes from the verb “hop”. So, to hope means to leap forward in expectation. Friedrich Nietzsche, that ever so happy fellow, once said, “Hope in reality is the worst of all evils because it prolongs the torments of man.” He went on to say, “God is dead.” It doesn’t sound like he was doing any leaping.
Which are you? Are you struggling to find hope in anything or anyone like Nietzsche or are you exhibiting some faith in today and in the future? It is easy to see rising national debt, inflation, and world events as pressures for hopelessness. Many may even feel that America’s best days are behind her with the rise of culture wars and deeply embedded polarizing ideologies. To be sure, an argument can be made for the hopelessness that is gripping some of our populace.
Okay, that’s the bad news. However, much of what we call “hope” is based upon our circumstances, our feelings, and our emotions. I would ask you to reconsider this and replace it with a simple philosophy. To have real and lasting hope, it is true, is problematic as Nietzsche pointed out, but how about hope absent situational perspective? Can you hope even when all other circumstances tell you otherwise?
Paul, the first-century preacher/teacher to the gentile masses, said that he had learned to be content in any situation. If you know anything of his story, you will know that he endured terrible hardships and suffered imprisonment multiple times. Yet, Paul was able to still be hopeful. In what, though?
Really, it was two things.
The first was his belief that God was able to work all things together for good for those who loved (pursued) him. His belief that God would prevail and assist the faithful man was steadfast. Even in suffering he maintained a rock solid belief. He went on to say that the hope of Heaven was a formidable desire in his life, but his time on earth was more important for others.
The second was his perspective; that sole earthly hope is myopic. It is easy to only see what we can experience. Our five senses constantly tell us only to believe what we can prove—temporal things. Making the jump to belief or faith is taking the long view regarding our meaning and existence. It seems incredibly shortsighted to maintain that the nature of our being is purely humanistic. Paul found hope by pushing back against this and getting the bigger picture.
So, what about it? Are you able to hope even in the face of troubling circumstances? I am convinced that the hope and relief you seek will return with faith. It’s a simple equation; faith in God equals hope for today—and tomorrow!
Come on! Hop on over to hope.
Kent Simmons is the pastor of Canyon Community Church in Kingman, AZ.
