Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all the darkness.
Desmond Tutu, Nobel Prize for Peace
Confession: I am a HUGE Hallmark Movies fan! I am one of the millions of Americans who tap into the Hallmark channel to see movies, especially the ones about Christmas. Annually, Hallmark begins their Christmas in July campaign, and I am there. One of the primary reasons for my fixation with Hallmark, is their messages of hope. Personally, I look forward to watching stories of hope for all things romantic. I desire love and how it happens. I am in awe of the hope of love and connection. These films, no matter how cheesy, always forecast a message of hope; a promise that things will be so much better than they currently are.
For so many of us, hope is something to look forward to during the holiday season. For many others, it is a skeptical conclusion. Especially around Christmas, we want to experience the “snap your fingers” miraculous nature of God. Young and old anticipate on the miracles of Christmas. I will admit there was a time in my life – in my 20’s and 30;’s when I believed God to be a divine Thanos. I counted on God to snap his fingers and make miracles happen. I dared to believe God to be my personal concierge who can make miracles happen. Amd He can. Yet God is so much God that He is more interested in my heart and its motivation. As I got older and more mature, I learned God is expecting my buy in. He expects me – all of us to do some “work” so we can appreciate the wonders of the hope God offers.
Today, I am unapologetic about my faith and the hope that God promises in my life. I understand God makes it super clear to “wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord”. – Psalm 27:14 (NLT). So what does that scripture mean in the context of hope? It means that hope is something that is a slow simmer. Hope affords us the chance to build upon our patience. Hope is not quick or fancy. It takes its time.
So, let’s look at patience. Patience is enduring or waiting as a determination of our will. Patience is a choice. Therefore, your choice to wait upon God and His perfect timing is letting God know you are at least willing to take a step closer to getting what you are hoping for. The next step is your being brave and courageous about what it is you are patient for. The bravery is not merely enduring the trials as a matter of necessity; it is a strong determination of your will to victoriously overcome the negative things we confront.
Hope is the complete cumulation of patience, bravery, and courageousness, at its peak. Ultimately, hope is the little voice you hear whisper “maybe” when it seems the entire world is shouting “no”! Hope is more than just being fearless. It is about confronting what we have never faced and trusting God to be prepared to overcome and be successful. Again, we are not sitting on our butts awaiting the miraculous. We are trusting. Hope is believing in the possibilities. That takes effort on our parts.
I recall the moments in my life when I have really hoped for all kinds of things and people. I hoped to get out of trouble or an awful situation. I hoped for the great boyfriend and greater husband. I hoped for the fantastic job. I hoped for my bills to be paid and debt eliminated. All these things were valid and important things to hope for. However, were these hope-filled desires going to be handled instantaneously without effort on my part? Most importantly, were they in alignment with what God really wanted for me? By that I mean, did these things I was hoping for in concert with helping others? What was my motivation? Is hoping to get out of a bad situation meant to get us back into the same position? Is our hope to get out of debt motivated to buy more and accumulate more or to help others who are less fortunate? If we are super honest with ourselves, chances are we are hoping to get of our own situations to please our own selfish desires. When in fact, hope helps us to move forward.
This holiday season, post COVID, post Delta, post OMICRON, lets think outside the box. Let’s think of others. Let’s hope for others. Most importantly, let’s believe and want for others outside of ourselves. Jesus is that hope for us. When we least expect it, God’s love for us is the hope that guarantees our lives to be more different than what it is. Hope is the potential for what can be for ourselves and our families, friends, and strangers. It doesn’t mean that God doesn’t grant us what we desire. But He awaits upon us to choose – our choice to desire what He desires for us. God is looking for us to be aligned with what He plans for our lives.
I admit this is the hardest thing to do. Our nature is to hope and desire for what we want, when we want it. I did! But you are allowed another chance, another day to choose and hope for someone other than yourself. Think about that one person who doesn’t have siblings or parents to love on them this Christmas season. Consider that person who lost a loved one – a parent, a child, or a spouse with whom they would normally ring in the new year. Make it a point to spend some time with that family. Again, the goal is to bravely step out of what is comfortable. Spread hope! Be hopeful! Be that hope!
So back to my holiday Hallmark fixatuon. The consistent pattern of these storylines is one person is unwilling or apprehensive, at first, to share how they feel about the love interest. I always laugh out loud because why would you desire love for Christmas and yet be unwilling to make yourself loveable or boldly convey love? Almost always, following the big reveal of feelings, is the moment when one or the other has to face some major decisions that may prevent him or her to follow through on the love they just admitted to. No matter how often I’ve seen or heard it, the choice to stay in “Christmas town” or follow their heart rules over all other decisions. The point is there are steps we must take to get what we hope for. Sometimes these steps will be uncomfortable and cheesy. But they are authentic and genuine.
Okay okay my life is no Hallmark romance but it is my desire to step out of my comfort zone and spread the blessing of hope unto others. My hope is to excitedly anticipate the goodness of what God can provide in my life so I may spread and share with another. Hope is contagious that way.
Hope is the driving force behind pursuing happiness in life. It provides us with the courage to make people live happily. I am boldly emoting hope to those around me. Perhaps, one day I will meet or have my “Hallmark” moment. But you know what, come to think of it, I already have. There was that moment when I fearlessly approached God and confessed my authentic and genuine love in the hope my life will become different in the next scene. Believe it or not, my life has never been the same. I dare you to courageously step forward and proclaim your adoration for He who is the lover of your soul and will never let you down.
Now that is a Hallmark movie that has not been written as yet. But we await it and celebrate the hope this holiday season.
….now what, Linda
now what, Linda? 