We Christians talk about having hope in Christ, leading the lost to be found, but is this hope truly real in each of our hearts? Does this hope stir the heart of the believer causing him to give faith to God? Or does the believer have a lost hope, or rather a lost joy, and has lost the meaning of being a child and servant of the one true God?
What is hope? What causes the believer to wish upon a dream or a prayer or even upon a want? We see many hearts look to hope as when life is born, when love is found, and when hearts are restored, but is hope really all that? Do people really see hope as just an action?
Hope is real. We see it day to day in people's lives. We may not see enough, but it is there. Hope is real when faith is exercised. As said in Hebrews, "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." When there is pain in the world, or in a person you know, do you pray for that person? Does your heart cry for him when he is hurting? Hope is real when you have faith in that person.
As said before in other stories, my dad has cancer and struggles with many problems and hurts in life. Sometimes he fails and he falls, and the initial response of a son who is praying for him to continue the faith is to have hope that his father will rise again. But my faith failed. I began looking at the problem more than the answer. I began seeing the sin greater than the Saviour. My hope was lost, my faith died, and my joy had diminished. I began looking for answers, for joy in the wrong places. While my intent was good, and the things is did for joy were of good will, it wasn't the right way. Hope became fake to me.
A couple months ago, I discovered the issue after a member of my church pointed the problem out to me. I was looking for the answer in the wrong places. The answer was Jesus, he was right in front of me. Since I lived away from Jesus for so long, it took me a few weeks to finally give up and fall to my knees. I recognized my problem and realized what really is the true motivation, the true purpose and enduring faith to stay true with God. Hope. "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness." It is the Saviour, the Christ, the cleansing blood to which we stay held together by God.
It is as simple as that. You don't need to be some glorious person to be a true believer. All you have to do is hope. Have faith in Jesus, and when you fall, you will rise again. "We shall mount up with wings as eagles. We shall run and not be weary. We shall walk and not faint. That is the truth. Rising Again. Restoring Hope. Keeping the faith.
