For some, this word is considered to be synonymous with ignorance. Others regard it with shining eyes and poetic praise, and yet, there are those who view it as a four letter word among the circles of the 'intellectually minded'. While these categories are indeed generalizations, for I wouldn't be so bold as to state that there are not any variances in opinions and beliefs. However, we often fail to recognize the power such a small word can hold, as well as the influence it holds over many.
You might be wondering why I chose to write on this topic. After all, I am a very busy college student who often writes more for academic purposes then recreational. Such facts do indeed dictate my writing to a degree, but I also believe in writing about things that matter to me, and this topic is one that I believe needs to be expounded upon.
Hope is powerful, and can be used as a mighty weapon for good. Through hope, nations have risen, and corrupt governments have toppled. Through hope, ideas have spread, and false philosophies have been disregarded as such. Through hope, Jesus walked the earth and showed our fallen race salvation through His sacrifice. These are just a few examples of how hope has forever impacted our world, and how it continues to do so.
Yet, hope does not exist without opposition. As much as we'd like to believe our world is good, we are all too aware of the darkness that fills our existence with trials and tribulations. This darkness is overwhelming, and has an insatiable appetite for destruction. Every human being struggles in an invisible fight with this darkness, for surely it's goal is to eat us alive from the inside out.
Have you ever felt empty inside? Has that emptiness been so damaging that you've sought to fill that void with anything and everything? And yet, even after all our attempts to heal ourselves and bandage our wounds, we still are left with the dull ache that never leaves. I'm sure you've been told, as have I, to "have faith, hope, etc" by well-meaning friends and family. I'm not saying that we shouldn't seek those things, but if we are not going to the true source of real hope, we will never achieve the goal we so desperately long for.
Even though many would argue and disagree with me, I am confident in the fact that true hope is found only through Jesus Christ. Hope found through Him is the hope that topples evil regimes, destroys false beliefs, and raises one's confidence so they can make it through the darkest of days. I know that personally, if I didn't have hope through Jesus, I would have fallen in despair many years ago. The world is a vile place, and the enemy is vicious in his attacks on God's children. Whether you realize it or not, we are immersed in a battle that far surpasses that of any human battle past, present, or future. We can't see it with our natural eyes, but we can see the effects of this war in very physical ways.
We feel it, we see it, and we live it. We feel the dread and hopelessness of a fallen world, we see the wars, terror, and divisions of human nature, and we live in a torn society ripe with sin. Even one of these things is enough to bring one's spirits down and sow seeds of anger, fear, and even depression, in some cases.
Simply put, without Jesus, there would be no true, lasting hope. If we have no hope, then we have no drive to live meaningful lives. Hope is the spark that sets our hearts ablaze, and without it, it would be nothing but dead, cold ashes. Even if you feel like you've lost hope, remember that with Christ, the fire is never extinguished, and it will always burn brighter after adversity. Through darkness, the light shines even brighter, and thank God that hope never dies!
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