Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.
Okay, maybe I borrowed these words from Gabriel come to rock the virgin Mary's world, but they apply to each of us. Today, we look at Chapter Six of Self Talk, Soul Talk entitled, "Look Up: Hope in God, My Soul". Jennifer focuses here on choosing hope above despair.
Hope as a choice - that's a thought worth savoring. My natural tendency is to think of hope as something that happens to me (or does not). What a grown-up notion, that I can choose my attitude! I have options about how I feel and react to the world around me. Jennifer poses the excellent questions, "Do I think with my feelings? Do my feelings serve me well or am I their slave?" (p. 87). Ouch.
Hope is the linchpin of my existence. It is the faithful peg where I hang my hat when life gets messy. When I get discouraged, the Word of God oozes hope in every chapter and verse. But as the apostle Paul reminds us: Hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? If we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently (Romans 8:24, 25). Did he really use the words, "wait" and "patiently" in the same sentence? ((Sigh)). Thankfully, God looks for progress, not perfection.
Be sure to visit our hostess for this study, Lelia at Write From the Heart to see what other travelers had to say about this week's chapter on hope!
May you feel His grace today,
Gail W.
The last Word:
This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him.
Deuteronomy 30: 19, 20, NIV.
12 comments:
You are so wise my friend, love you.
Thanks for your comments, not sure how this is going to work out so pray for direction.
Jeff Knight
I love how you added more verses on hope. I think this was my favorite chapter so far, and I like the things you said about it.
Recently I've been kind of stuck on the "choice" issue of life...it's all about perspective. Whose perspective am I going to chose...mmmmm, thank God for progress and one day face to face.
"Hope as a choice - that's a thought worth savoring. My natural tendency is to think of hope as something that happens to me (or does not). What a grown-up notion, that I can choose my attitude!"
This made me smile, Gail:)
Part of my self-talk is tell myself to act like a grown-up! Sometimes I'm more the spoiled child...
Looking up,
Laura
Thanks for this post, Gail.
Hope is one thing that has really kept me going, trusting, believing...in the midst of the darkest nights. You put your thoughts together so beautifully!
Hope...the pinprick of light that keeps me going in the darkness...thanks, Gail...
Well, I hit the comment button, knowing I would comment on "Hope is a choice"...it hit many of it, did it not? I love it!
Hope is a choice! Sometimes, I forget. Thank you!
"Who hopes for what he already has?" That is such a wonderful passage I was not familiar with, but find it to be so fundamental to what we all get greedy with in our day-to-day lives...we can tend to "hope" for things we already have.
I pray for and rejoice in all of those around me, who understand, and have stood by me for years, when hope has been the first, smallest step...no matter what the challenge. We all proved hope was unstoppable as we met the challenges and learned so much that protected many. It was real, heartfelt hope, not a possession already on hand.
Gail,
Perspective, isn't that true it's how we look at things, how we choose to look at things. I know with God I see things through a different lens.
I choose Hope.
I love the verse from in your Last Word. I put it in my journal of scriptures I've been pondering lately.
Hugs,
Carol
Gail,
I love coming here to hear your perspective it is heartfelt and wise. I have to say that each time the verse you end your post with is always one I really need to hear! Thank you for serving our awesome God for I have been blessed by it!
In Him,
Tina
Keep up the good work.
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