The Power and Promise of Hope
“Instead, evaluate what you are doing, why you are doing it, and where accomplishing it will take you. If you don’t have a good answer, then stop.” (from The Daily Stoic:366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living, Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman)
How do you convince yourself and others that you live in hope? How do you communicate the intensity of your emotions leading you to a future rooted in hope?
“Something happened along the way, what used to be happy was sad. Something happened along the way and yesterday was all we had.” (Earth, Wind, and Fire – Greatest Hits, 1998)
Another rainy day – I have no desire to run and jump in puddles. I am too old for that. What will I do while I wait for the sun to return?
The rain increases in intensity. I begin to wonder if the sun will ever show up again. Three, now four days of continuous cold rain, darkness and drear – where is the sun? Where is the brightness and warmth?
“The greatest test of courage on earth is to bear defeat without losing heart.” Robert G. Ingersoll (1833-1899)
As many of you know, the theme of my blog is, “The Power and Promise of Hope.” As a person of faith, my strength comes from the hope I have in a Triune God. I realize not everyone shares that same source of hope and strength.
That being said, I have not always found my strength in God to be an immediate source of hope. I have not always found the courage to bear adversity with the knowledge that my defeat will only be temporary in nature.
You’ve got no choice.Turn off the news. Go outside and take a deep breath. Do the one thing you know will bring a smile to your face. Forget your troubles for an hour.