Where there is Despair Hope

Greetings Dear Reader,

I wonder sometimes how I hold on to this.  I usually feel so far away from where I wish to be at this stage in my life.  Most of the dreams have not become reality.  The image of my life at this age is not what my life is at this stage.  But I still dream and a I still hope.  Perhaps it is because faith is easy for me that hope remains.  Perhaps it is just my eternal romantic optimism.

The thing is that I am to sow hope where there is despair.  I am to live my life in Christ with the joy that can only be found there.  I can surly understand that without faith hope can dwindle so quickly into despair.  I am never sure which breeds which but the combination of the two are so vital to following Christ. 

If I am to follow whole heartedly I must ponder the things that Christ told us to hope for in him.  I do not believe most of the pie in the sky rhetoric that many have attached to eternal life.  I do believe that things will be better and even if it is only having Christ that is enough.  I do believe that Christ is working to redeem the world back to what the Father intended.  I know that Christ promised I cannot imagine or comprehend what that will be like but that is not where my hope lies. 

My hope must only lie in Christ.  That he knows what is best and will make all things as they should be is my anchor.  Does he care about the minor details of my life?  Yes I am sure he does.  Does it matter if I write today or not?  It always will.  Does how I treat the cashier at BP matter to the grand scheme of things?  Yes it does.  If I do my best to reflect kindness and love to that individual then that is a little bit of redemption and a little bit of hope.  Over time perhaps that becomes fertile ground for me to sow faith in someone else’s life.

I think that I must also filter my hopes carefully to assure that they align with Christ.  I must be able to hope for things in good faith that I am asking for things to be on earth as they are in heaven.  I must be sure that the hope in my heart is focused on what the Father wishes for the world.  Then I must apply my faith to that hoping so that others see it in me.  Faith and hope are so closely attached as they seem to be, I must live my life in a way that engenders hope in others so that they may come to faith.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.

Where there is hatred, let me sow love.

Where there is injury, pardon.

Where there is doubt, faith.

Where there is despair, hope.

Where there is darkness, light.

Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,

Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console;

To be understood, as to understand;

To be loved, as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive.

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,

And it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. – Saint Francis of Assisi

Wishing you joy in the journey,

Aramis Thorn

Mat 13:52 So Jesus said to them, "That is why every writer who has become a disciple of Christ’s rule of the universe is like a home owner. He liberally hands out new and old things from his great treasure store."