In a comment on my last post, my dear friend Sarah expressed interest in how I equate hope with optimism. I began a reply and ended up writing a post.
For a long, long time, I lived my life waiting for my circumstances to change. The single word that ruled my existence was if. If this were different, then I could be _______ (happy, productive, a better wife, mother, daughter, friend, etc.) That was my hope.
But that if is a lie. The only thing standing in the way of my being everything I was created to be is my own sin: self-pity, laziness, procrastination, perfectionism, pride, neglect of prayer and worship (including church attendance), poor stewardship of gifts (time, money, talent), lack of discipline, ingratitude—a whole awful, ugly, negative list. It is no wonder that my outlook was gloomy!
"And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." (1 Cor. 13:13).
St. Paul explained that these three virtues provide a "more excellent way" to live and sum up what it means to be a Christian. While faith, hope, and love work together harmoniously, they have distinct qualities.
The difference between faith and hope is:-Faith believes that God can do...-Hope believes that God will do...It is one thing for us to have faith that God can meet our every need.It is another thing to believe that He will!
Without hope there is despair. Without faith there is nothing in which to hope.
It is through accepting God's Word and walking is His way (the way of faith, hope, and love) that we know peace and joy and are equipped to love others.Why is love greater than faith or hope? It is the only one that will last forever:-Faith will not last for it is "the evidence of things unseen" (Heb.11:1). When we get to heaven our faith will be turned to sight!-Hope is confident expectation, but when we are with the Lord all our hopes will be realized!-The only one that will continue on is love…we will love the Lord throughout all eternity! (from the late Rev. Don Robinson's excellent sermon notes).
"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." (Rom. 15:13)
Through prayer, I am acquiring true hope. My circumstances haven't changed at all, yet hope sees everything in a brand new, optimistic light. ♥
I love this. How beautifully you express yourself and use the wise words of others to strengthen your own. St Paul, not very much a favourite of mine, in this case summed the matter up with perfect clarity for me. Isn't it interesting how all things become much clearer when you centre them in Spirit?
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing. I appreciate the generosity with which you do so. And I love the photo again today!
Hi Susan,
ReplyDeleteI've been reading and enjoying your wonderfully active blog this year. And your photography! You're a girl after my own heart: bare tree branches, snow, sky, birds... sigh. Thank you. I don't have anything to say specific to this post, I am actually commenting here b/c I don't see an email address for you, and was wondering if I could send you a personal message email? If so, here is my address: barb.riley1(at)gmail(dot)com.
Thanks,
Barb
Ah, yes.
ReplyDeleteIsn't it amazing how the only thing that needs to shift is the point of view? I'm glad you are feeling so optimistic... so hopeful...
ReplyDeleteLove this post! The whole paragraph on why love is greater ~ lots of thought here. Thanks for the link to Rev. Robinson's notes.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Anne♥