I was given a question to answer… What gives you hope, Dan?
Like many, I understand that hope can seem big and small and come in many different ways, so I Googled. I found that there's a whole lot of ideas about hope, and they can be both secular and spiritual and both are often used to be inspirational. I also noticed that hope is spoken in the Bible and is found in both the Old and New Testament. The idea of hope tends to be a positive given in our society.
On the surface of an average day, I guess I see hope as a wish. I hope I can make it to the game on time. I hope the school lunch is good today. I hope this weather changes. In each of these, there is a desire and/or an expectation, sometimes strong, sometimes weak, and the result will be positive and in my favor. It is often a simple way of not fully committing to what you want, need or wish for an intended outcome.
On an individual level, hope to me is a powerful elixir in my psyche that is needed for me to be my better self, the self I want and need to be. It is here where self-reflection and self-awareness become integral to my beliefs, values, and faith. So I asked myself, Dan, what gives you hope?
In my self-awareness, acknowledging my negative mood or feelings, disappointments, pains, and lack of spirit, I have realized I have to look for an alternative. Oftentimes, for me, I use gratitude to flip my psyche. When I think of my positives, blessings, joys, and gifts placed in front of me, I become open to possibilities, wonder, creativity, inquire, and feel a sense of spirit that leads me to my better self.
On my deepest level, I find that Hope is a connection I have to the Living God in my life.
In Romans 5:5 we are reminded – “and Hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom he has given us.”
So it is my focus to try each day to transform those negative thoughts, memories, and pains into my fuel of Hope where God’s work is accomplished. As we begin our Advent Season, I am hopeful for all that the Spirit brings to me in my life. Yes, as Christians, we celebrate the anticipation of the Christ Child, and it is not only a truth, but a reminder given to us through the Spirit. What gives me Hope?… the Holy Spirit gives me Hope, but only if I do the work to hear and feel that subtle yet transformational feeling that shows me my best self and then share that with all who cross my path.
Dan Roff