“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.”
― Emily Dickinson
Hope. A curious thing. Hope only exists during times in which we are not satisfied… life isn’t where we want it to be… hence, we hope for some better situation. Hope grows out of darkness and stretches out her hand for the light. Hope can bring lightness to the soul and cast off the shadows… but does it always do that?
Of course not. One can hope they win the lottery, pass an exam, beat cancer, or save their marriage; but does hope always bear the fruit that we desire? Not even close; and when it does not, all we are left with is the gritty gravel in our teeth of shattered dreams. So why is it considered a good thing? Through the mouth of Andy Dufresne, Stephen King said, “Remember, Red, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies...” ― The Shawshank Redemption
I wonder, what percentage of times humans have hoped for things that never came about and their hope died? In these cases, certainly the hope could have buoyed a soul through troubled waters, but it could also have no function other than to bring the person to utter disappointment. In the second case, hope was not a good thing. In the first case, it may have been. Over the long term, I do not know. I do know this: it all depends on upon what the hope rests… if it is just our naked desire for a better condition, then this may very well be setting up the person for disappointment. If the hope rests in a power that can bring about the brighter situation, chances are much improved for a good outcome.
But those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31
I hope this makes sense and makes you think.
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For His glory,
Jim