More Than Optimism

Ten years ago I was in the home of someone I barely knew.  In their washroom was an artfully decorated and framed quote.  I had to copy the words.  It was beautifully written.  If the hosts thought it was strange that I came out scrabbling for pen and paper and returned to the washroom, they were too polite to mention it!  :-)  I've had that little scrap of paper under the blotter on my desk ever since.

Hope is definitely not the same thing as optimism.  

It is not the conviction that something will turn out well,

BUT THE CERTAINTY THAT SOMETHING MAKES SENSE 

regardless of how it turns out.

I later learned that this was written by Vaclev Havel while he was being held as a political prisoner under a communist regime.  He was there because he believed in and was vocal about freedom.  He had hope that Czechoslovakia would be a free country again.  

I don't know if he knew that he was quoting the essence of one of my favourite hope verses, but he was:

And we know that God causes everything to work together

for the good of those who love God

and are called according to his purpose for them.

This verse doesn't say that God causes everything...humans cause all kinds of trouble.  But he can make something beautiful out of anything for those who are willing to trust Him with their lives.  

This is hope.  

It's a promise I've put to the test.  There's no limit to what kind of circumstances He can transform.  

This is more than the power of positive thinking.  It's a promise backed by the character of God.

Extreme hope that preys on hopelessness.

Romans 8:28 NLT