Hopeful, Not Hopeless

Have you ever had a feeling that life seemed out of control? Like you take five steps forward and life gives you a powerful shove fifty steps back? That happens when life is life-ing. I’ve certainly been in situations like that. It can be hard to plan for the future when you are busy just trying to make your ends meet.

I once had a dream about being in a grocery store. No matter what item I chose to look for, it wasn’t there. The store I was in had an over-abundance of many things. Yet, what I was looking for seemed like it kept slipping from my grasp before I could even touch it. I recall that dream at times because that is the feeling that sometimes settles on us in life. It seems like the world is full of nothing but options. Still, it feels like the thing you personally seek is nowhere to be found.

How do you hold on to your hope when you are faced with a situation like that? I remember having a conversation with my mother recently and we talked about the importance of how we think. It takes very little effort to look at our situation in life and list everything that seems like it’s going wrong. Looking for the good in those situations requires more work on our part. Intent. It’s not about ignoring problems or issues. That doesn’t make them go away.

Instead, it’s about making a conscious effort to focus on the positive even in a negative situation. We can’t all be Annie Positive, I know. I  would never claim to be, myself. I experience hard things just like everyone else. Typing these words does not make me exempt from the struggle against negative thinking. It’s because it is a lived experience that I understand the value, more and more each day, of where I focus my attention. 

Focus. That’s an important word. When Peter lost focus, he began to sink. That’s not uncommon from the experience that many of us face today. Going through difficult circumstances sheds more light on why it is essential to re-center and re-focus when I begin to drift. How each of us begin that journey is not one size fits all. For one person, re-centering may come by way of spending time in fellowship services. For another, it could be quiet time in prayer. For another, it could be reading the bible. However we place our attention back on Jesus is paramount to strengthening our relationship with him. 

Think about the impact that positive thinking will have on you. I can recall moments of worry, fear, and anxiety and how it suddenly consumed me. No matter what I was doing, my thoughts would drift back to the concern I had. I would feel physical pain. My eyes would well with tears. Often it was because it was never one thing. Negative thoughts can be a bit like mice. Where there is one, there is almost certainly another. If it gets out of control, you are suddenly infested. Why not instead put that energy towards intentionally building your hope? I don’t believe that God’s purpose for us to settle for trouble or to even settle for less than he wants to bless us with. Don’t accept a second-best life when what God wants to give you is the best!

Earlier I noted that we can’t just ignore our issues and I’d like to readdress that. Just like that mice infestation, if ignored, the issue will only get worse. It won’t self-resolve. Even as we strive to keep our thoughts positive, this is an opportunity for us to show our commitment to our faith. If we believe that God can deliver, then we’re going to have to trust him with the things we need deliverance from. 

Today, I urge you, if you are reading this, spend a few moments reflecting on the wonderful things that God has already done in your life. When you find yourself feeling hopeless, remembering what God has done for you and others before you will begin to renew your hope. If God has done great things before, then he can certainly do it again. Believe it!

Stay Sunny!

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