Cultivating Hope

Hope.

We all want it, but not many of us have it. Why? We’ve been disappointed, let down, and betrayed too many times in the past to live with hope. We tell ourselves “I’m not going to get my hopes up about x, it probably won’t happen. It didn’t work out last time. Why would it this time?” Okay, maybe you don’t think this way, but I unfortunately do.

As a Christian I know I am called to live a life of victory. I have overcome addictions and for that I am incredibly grateful, but God still has a lot, and I mean A LOT of work to do on my attitude, character, and spirit.

One thing I definitely want to work on is cultivating more hope. I’m currently listening to Joyce Meyer’s book, “Get Your Hopes Up!” while in my car. It seems like a major component of hope is gratitude (yet another area I struggle in!). I know cognitively that if I’m not grateful for all of God’s current blessings, He isn’t going to take me higher. Why would He when I’m not passing His current test? “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.” – Luke 16:10.

What prevents me from having hope is my past. I, like all of you, have experienced many failures, disappointments, and betrayals. As I say this I must acknowledge that I have similarly experienced many joys, blessings, and successes. The Enemy; however, likes to keep me focused on the negative side of my life.

“Rather than risking feeling disappointed, they’re choosing to live disappointed.” – Dr. Brene Brown. It kills me to admit, but I think I’ve fallen into this way of living. Being disappointed is so painful, that it’s easier to just live disappointed, never expecting a good thing to come my way. I just feel so naive and vulnerable if I hope for something: I’m going to get a part in the musical, he is going to ask me out, I’m going to get a good grade on my test. What happens when these things don’t work out? It seems like it’s better to expect the worst and then be pleasantly surprised if something good comes to pass.

My current way of hopelessness and disappointment is not in line with the Scripture or what God says. I am to live by faith not by sight. I am to believe God is for me, not against me, and that His blessings are chasing me down. Jesus came so that I could live in abundance, not lack.

So, what do I do? I think the first step is to start with my current blessings. What am I grateful for? I’m grateful for: my physical health- that I can exercise, move, and engage in life comfortably, my gifts and talents, my beauty, my car, my intellect, my cat, coffee, Diet Coke, and Earl Grey tea. The list could go on indefinitely, because God has already bestowed so much into my life. Therefore, this week/month/year, I am going to focus on gratitude and actively thanking God for what He’s given me.

Are you a hopeful or a hopeless person? How grateful are you? How do you handle disappointments?