Hopeful or Hopeless by Jolene Eller

A couple weeks ago, I was in a department store. I came upon a lady that looked so familiar and I told her so. Since I still had my nursing uniform on, she asked if I worked in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). I mentioned yes and asked if I had taken care of her baby. She said I had. Then she started crying and told me that her husband and 2 very young boys had been killed that past weekend by a train. Since it was a department store for men and boys, I'm sure she was there to buy their clothes for burial. Looking into her eyes, I saw despair and not much hope.

Hope? what is it? Well Webster defines it as "To cherish a desire with anticipation, to desire with expectation of obtainment." Last night in church our pastor used the definition, "belief in a positive outcome; confidence based on incredible promises of someone else."

As a Christian, knowing that I will be in heaven with God when I die, I have hope. This woman, I have no idea where her beliefs lie and if there was hope for being reunited one day.

As we look throughout the world we see people filled with hope and people that have no hope as you can see it in their eyes. What is it they are hoping for or hope in? Is it just a meal to get them through the day? Is it safety that they can live through the night? Is it that their long lost relative would suddenly show up?, or that their mom or dad would walk through that door? All of us have different reasons to hope but some have given up. It states in Proverbs 13:12, "Hope deferred (hope long drawn out) makes the heart sick (brings disappointment), but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." Oh what a difference it makes in ones life when what is hoped for is fulfilled.

It has been shown by many, that before you can love someone, you first have to give them hope. Are you the type of person to encourage and give another hope? It doesn't take much. You can be in a check out lane at the grocery store and say, thanks so much. Do you know how much God loves you today? Just a little encouragement and word of hope can change the life of one that doesn't have any. Parents can give their children hope. Maybe their child is struggling in something such a class in school or in a sport. Just saying a word of encouragement such as I can't believe how quick you are with the ball and your coordination when you play, can be just the words of encouragement to give them hope.
Romans 5:3-5 states, "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our suffering, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, HOPE. And HOPE does NOT disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us."

Amazing how suffering can give us hope. As we let Christ work, hope will not disappoint us. Sometimes God has a different plan then what we hoped for but if we are trusting in Him, He will change our focus.
It states in Psalms 62:5, "Find rest, o my soul in God alone; my HOPE comes from Him." Amazing when we focus everything on Him, what He can do and accomplish in our lives.

Where is your hope today? Is it in Christ or is it in the things of this world? If it's in the world, you will be disappointed. Hebrews 11:1 states, "Now faith is being SURE of what we HOPE for and certain of what we do not see." I have hope in the Lord? that one day I will see His face, that I will see the faces of loved ones and that He is going to use me in this world as daily I give my life to Him. What a reward of HOPE that is. As for this woman, I can only HOPE that she knows the Lord and if not that our paths will cross again so she too can have HOPE in the saving knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.