Hoping for a Revolution

The world lacks something lasting, something profound, something... revolutionary. 

Hope.

In order to fully understand what hope is, one must first understand what hope is not.  I’m not talking about hopelessness, because on one thing I think everyone agrees; we all experience hopelessness.  The stories in this blog are but just glimpses into the depths of hopelessness.  I will be posting stories as they are shared with me, so that you will see just how not alone you truly are.  The world knows hopelessness and longs, yearns, and cries out for hope.

Have you been at the end of your rope, crying, screaming, and begging for help?  You reach out to family, friends and lastly the God you never talk to, but nothing ever comes of it.  You knew it was just a shot in the dark anyway.  This isn’t hope.  This is desperation.

Hope

is not

desperation.

Have you ever prayed, crossed your fingers, rolled the dice, performed a ritual, used herbal medicines, or any other attempt to appease the spiritual realm? Thinking perhaps this time you’ll get an answer?  This isn’t hope.  This is religion, albeit poorly performed religion.

Hope

is not

religion.

Have you ever surrendered to the circumstances; thinking that this is the hand you were dealt?  You continue living life, insecurely believing “it is what it is.”  Apathy, and eventual depression set in.  But at least you’ll never be hurt because “hey, that’s life!”  This sounds like humility and trust but really it’s a heart that has given up.  A heart that has given up doesn’t have hope.

Surrender

is not

hope.

I believe the three of these are examples of how the world might view hope.  The world misses the mark.  Surprised?  Me either.  Hope, described in the bible is actually synonymous with confidence.  What does this mean in application?  It means that when you’re struggling, and you are desperate for answers or rescue your confidence is tested.  You have options for your confidence, you know?  You could try self-confidence which actually begs the question, how did you get so desperate if your self was the answer?  Perhaps, you are not the rescuer.  Media, society, movies, and the world have deafened you with their shouts of “You are the answer; you’ve had the answer in yourself all along!!”  Has this worked out for you? C.S. Lewis said it quite astutely when he said “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: Pain is God’s megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” God is saying “ENOUGH!!”

You are not

Hope.

Your children are not your hope.  Your religion is not your hope.  Your money is not your hope.  None of these things will rescue you.  Don’t do the easy thing and give up, this changes nothing.  Place your confidence where it belongs, in God.  He’s stronger, faster, bigger, and more immensely powerful than your suffering.  It simply makes no sense to put your hope anywhere else.