Hope Fuels Possibilities
“Hope is the quiet strength that turns ordinary moments into possibilities.” I’m not sure who said this, but I really like it. I was reminded of this the other day when I reached out to a friend to see if perhaps we might be able to meet for dinner. My friend lives in Airdrie, so anytime that I’m driving through to go to the mountains, I contact my friend to see if we might be able to meet up. We have been doing this routine since we were 17. It turns out that we both have very busy lives. On average I reach out 5 times before our schedules align. When I was younger I remember being really disappointed when he responded that he was going to be somewhere else in the province or country. Nowadays, I find myself first looking at my phone and saying to myself, “what are the chances?” I almost didn’t text him this last time I was heading to the mountains, but luckily I followed through and sent a text asking if he would be around to meet up, and the reply was, “YES! It looks like it will work!” As always it was a great visit and it felt like we saw each other yesterday. I have come to cherish these moments when we are able to get together.
I’m sure many of you got caught up in the World Series, hoping for the Blue Jays to win it all. As they continued to advance in the playoffs, hope grew. More and more people gathered in common spaces to watch the games together. With each night the games took on more meaning. We began to dream of the possibilities that once again a Canadian team could be World Champions. Unfortunately our hopes were dashed. It has been said that “it is the hope that kills you.” And it does feel that way sometimes. So why do we get our hopes up in the first place?
As Christians we hold onto hope, because Jesus brings us hope. We hope that the world will live in peace. We hope that people will learn to love one another unconditionally and thus bring harmony to our lives. I can’t help but ponder, “Why do we need hope?” Hope is one of the deepest forces that keeps us moving forward. Hope moves us toward life, meaning and possibility. It gives us the strength to keep trying, and to get through the uncertainty and struggle of life. Hope was what made me text my friend that fifth time. It is also believed that hope helps us to cope better and endure difficult things, in fact it is a form of spiritual stamina. Hope binds us together, reminding us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. The Blue Jays brought us together as a country in a time where there is a lot of division and fear. Hope allows us to imagine a better world. Hope is what makes change possible. Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, “Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness.” As the days continue to get shorter this quote has even more meaning. Perhaps God has provided us with the glorious northern lights as a reminder of this. There is hope!!
I guess what I’m trying to say is, don’t lose hope. With God by our side, hope is there. What is it that you hope for in the coming months for yourself, for this community of faith, and for the world?
Blessings, Rev. Karen