Summary
We have all been there before- you know, sitting around, chatting with family and friends, and someone mentions a current event, something in the news, maybe a recent political update that isn’t too uplifting.
Violence in Sudan; a mall shooting in Texas; wildfires, floods, and landslides; One comment leads to another and before you know it, you’ve all taken that downward spiral toward despair and hopelessness.
This happened to me recently, and I started to feel it in my body, the terrible things out there that feel out of my control and likely not to turn around anytime soon. I decided to try a different question.
“So, what’s giving you all hope these days?” I asked. And everyone laughed at the obvious change of subject. Then someone took me up on it who attends another church, “The children leading worship today give me hope.” Our conversation took a more positive turn and we moved on, temporarily, at least, leaving behind the despair of the world out there.
Sometimes it’s not so easy to find hope. Sometimes the suffering and hopelessness we feel isn’t so much out there in the world but in here, in our own lives and families, our own losses and fears. We are overwhelmed with despair and sorrow and we can’t just take a positive turn and move on.
Bible References
- Romans 5:1 - 11
