How Hope Happens

One sweet evening this summer, I was on my way to run some errands when I ran into a couple of friends. They were getting ready to go to the park for a dinner picnic, so I grabbed some food and joined them!

After fun conversation and hangout time, I looked up at the sky. I wanted to see stars, which my friends thought was silly given that we were in the middle of the city. But I have spent much time in rural areas, and I know that there are gazillions of starts visible at any point.

Upon the recognition of that fact, something awesome happened. And I don't just mean cool, I mean awesome. I suddenly found myself noticing more stars! It was mind over matter, but the more I called upon what I knew to be fact, the more able I was to see it. My friends looked up and didn't see it until I pointed it out. Then they were able to enjoy it as well!

That night taught me a lot about hope and faith. Hope is the joyful anticipation of the arrival of something you know is coming. Faith is the substance of things hoped for. I hoped for stars, and the substance in this case was my past experience of seeing how many stars are there. In another case, it may have been a wise person's teaching on the topic. Like when you're in school and the teacher shows you what kind of cells you'll see under the microscope. Sure enough, you see them. If she hadn't told you what to look for, you may have missed it.

So what in your life can you have this kind of faith for? Are you in a place where you keep seeing the same old patterns repeated, and you wonder why you can't have the better things? Maybe your romantic relationships are like the movie Groundhog Day, or you can't seem to get out of debt. Or perhaps you simply stay stuck in a job you hate, but the process of putting yourself out there intimidates you more than staying where you are.

If any of this applies to you, I want to encourage you that ALL good things out there are available to you. Societies like to tell people that certain lifestyles are only for certain people, but this is a lie.

So just look up and begin seeing the things you desire as things that are for you. Then go ahead and pursue them. Be blessed in your endeavors, and prepare to watch the stars begin to shine!