Hope.
What a dang hard virtue. Maybe the hardest and most abstract of them all. But why? We live in a world of instant gratification, instant satisfaction of our desires. With same-day delivery and conveniences at our fingertips, we are inundated with comfort.
If you’ve read any part of the Bible, you know that the Christian life is the exact opposite of that. I’ve recently been watching The Chosen (if you haven’t seen it.... you must) and was struck by all of the sacrifices and realities the Apostles had to go through to follow Jesus. I’ve read about it my whole life, “Take up your cross and follow Me,” but seeing it played out hit me differently. The ways they were mocked by their society, having to give up positions of power to become a disciple, seeing John the Baptist killed for preaching. And then at the end of it all, their Rabbi is killed.
So where did their hope come from? I’m guessing the same place ours does...in walking with Jesus and hearing His words every day for three years of their lives. They saw the way He talked, the way He kept His promises, the way He healed.
Hope comes from a personal relationship with the One who keeps His promises. Knowing that we don’t always get what we want when we want it, but holding onto the hope He has called us to.
I pray that today, you can find the hope you need. I pray that you go to the One who supplies all the grace we need to hold on a little longer.