Hope
changes everything.*Whether it’s teenager anticipating a much longed-for
electronic gadget on Christmas morning; a senior citizen that remains upbeat in
the midst of physical illness (expecting that one day a cure will be discovered
for their infirmity); or a twenty-something person that is in the midst of a
crisis of faith. They are desperate for something (or somebody) to provide them
with the answer their emotional well-being depends on.
Though
hope (the temporary kind) can be found in a multitude of people, places, or
possessions, the permanent brand of hope can only come from God Almighty. James 3:17 (MSG) gives us a clue as to how
that happens. “Real wisdom, God’s wisdom,
begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It
is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercies and blessing, not hot one
day and cold the next, not two-faced.”
I
believe real hope starts when a person has the faith to do all that is
physically possible for them to do while leaving the results of their deeds to the
Heavenly Father. (James 2:14-16) For people who have been badly disappointed in
the past it’s difficult to give up control to a Higher Power.
This
might seem more like a recipe for failure instead of a way to view a small
light of hope at the end of a dark life tunnel full of fear and disappointment. Are you aware that the action of giving (or
casting) can ultimately have the end result of hope?
Psalms
55:22 (NLT) states, “Give your burdens to
the Lord, and He will take care of you…” In closing, you can continue to do
what you’ve done in the past that has not worked. The results have been
disastrous. Instead, you could choose to get the Author of Hope completely
involved in your life.
I
guarantee the results will turn out to be something you could never have
imagined. Who the real you is depends on your choice. Do the right thing.
*From a sermon by executive pastor, Greg Preston
Eastside Community Church, December 6, 2015
Gahanna, OH
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