December 18
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Romans 15:13
As I see it, hopes and wishes are very similar but they are not the same thing. Wishes are desires, yearnings, fantasies, and yes, they can be hopes. Meanwhile hopes can be wishes, but hopes are more an expectation, anticipation, something that you trust will happen. Make sense?
I am a big fan of wishes; falling stars, coins in a fountain, birthday candles. . . you name it and I will wish upon it and theses wishes will cover the entire spectrum from peace on earth to wanting the winning Powerball ticket. Often these wishes align with my hopes, like when I wished/hoped to find “the one” or when I wished/hoped for a new job. To me, the wishes are attached to something, such as the star or the candle, but hope is just a part of everyday life. From my first thoughts when I wake up that it will be a good day to when my head hits the pillow and I hope that my friends and loved ones are watched over through the night, throughout the day, I have hope. I can not imagine living life without it. |
I am certainly not a Pollyanna and although I tend to be optimistic, I am a realist, a realist with faith that God can do anything and hope that he will do what is best, what is right, and what is just. He has shown us that through him, all things are possible and that he wants what is best for us and for the most part, I believe him.
Although, I don’t remember a time when I didn’t have a general feeling of hopefulness, like everyone, there have been experiences of what I refer to as situational hopelessness. There have been moments of uncertainty and fear, such as finding myself unemployed or of extreme frustration when starting a family wasn’t as easy as you grow up expecting it to be. |
These were times that I needed a boost in the hope department where these fleeting moments tested faith and allowed hopelessness to rear its ugly head. There were definitely shadows that I moved through but yet somewhere deep in me, I knew that if I just had faith and patience, the hope would return. I knew He would help and He did. He always has provided and answered the call, not always in ways I expected or even would have preferred but I always made it to the other side and there I would find my hope.
"A thrill of hope; the weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn."
O Holy Night
At a time of new beginnings, I wish the thrill of hope to be yours and may you be full of joy and peace.
Amber Page Gehr
Amber Page Gehr