Loosing Hope

It could be quite easy right now, given the news reports and isolation that we are experiencing, for many us to lose hope. To lose hope in the future, in each other, in the government, in God himself. A loss of hope turns us towards fear, blame, anger and despair. None of these things are the things that God has for his children or wants to bless us with. But it’s difficult to bless someone who is holding tight to the wrong things, and won’t let them go so as to receive His blessings. If our hands are full then there’s no room for more.

As we let go of fear or despair or anger, and be still instead, then we can enter into that cycle that Mother Teresa spoke of and encounter the blessings of God. When we are still, maybe with no hope but also no fear or anger or despair, without blaming and ranting, when we let our hearts and minds be silent, then, only then, can we pray. That is the hardest step, but,
“The fruit of silence is prayer,
The fruit of prayer is faith,
The fruit of faith is love,
The fruit of love is service,
The fruit of service is peace.” (Mother Teresa)

I’d like to extend that one more step and say that the fruit of peace is hope. When we live in the peace of God, the wholeness of Shalom, then we are blessed abundantly with joy and life. In turn, then, who we are and how we are, our words and actions, brings hope into other people’s lives.

Our world needs hope more than ever right now. We need to set hope loose on the world and allow the blessing of hope feed those in fear and despair, heal those in anger and soothe those who are full of blame. Ask God to help you see where hope is needed in this world. Think about how you are seeing or hearing the need for hope, in those you live with or see or talk to, or on the news reports, or maybe at work. Take back to God those people and situations that need hope in him and the future to be restored. Be a maker of peace and loose hope in the world around you right now:

Don’t lose hope, instead loose hope into the world.