You know how sometimes you read or hear about something that sticks with you? A long time ago, I was reading about a couple of hikers that got lost. I will call them Becky and Tara. Nobody knows exactly what happened, but apparently they got lost and eventually separated from each other in hopes that at least one person would find civilization and send help back to the other hiker...if that hiker could be found.
Of course, once separated, each hiker would be on their own and very much alone. They parted ways and made individual attempts at reaching civilization for days. Becky, who was about ready to keel over and sink into oblivion, took a few more steps that took her to the top of a barren hill that she had climbed. She looked down and spotted a small lake. It was the first water she had seen in days. It gave her a hope that renewed her strength with a fervor that propelled her to the life saving watering hole.
She lived.
Days later, a search party found the other hiker about a mile behind where Becky had almost died before she spotted the life giving water.
Tara was dead.
You see, the water that gave Becky hope and propelled her to action, was not in Tara's vision.
I wonder what killed Tara first? The lack of water or the lack of hope?
So what does this story have to do with me and you? Sigh...
I will speak for myself. When I have a lack of hope, I want to die. Looking around at people surrounding me, I see that I am not alone. Hopelessness is pervasive and threatens to destroy us.
Proverbs 13:12 says:
Of course, once separated, each hiker would be on their own and very much alone. They parted ways and made individual attempts at reaching civilization for days. Becky, who was about ready to keel over and sink into oblivion, took a few more steps that took her to the top of a barren hill that she had climbed. She looked down and spotted a small lake. It was the first water she had seen in days. It gave her a hope that renewed her strength with a fervor that propelled her to the life saving watering hole.
She lived.
Days later, a search party found the other hiker about a mile behind where Becky had almost died before she spotted the life giving water.
Tara was dead.
You see, the water that gave Becky hope and propelled her to action, was not in Tara's vision.
I wonder what killed Tara first? The lack of water or the lack of hope?
So what does this story have to do with me and you? Sigh...
I will speak for myself. When I have a lack of hope, I want to die. Looking around at people surrounding me, I see that I am not alone. Hopelessness is pervasive and threatens to destroy us.
Proverbs 13:12 says:
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.
How can we turn life into longings? In my next post, I will share with you what I have discovered about how to have ...
A Hope That Satisfies...
4 comments:
Interesting comments...somewhat dark. Doesn't the Bible say somewhere that 'hope deferred makes the heart sick...' Check out Phil. 4: 12-13.
Great to hear from you again, Shay! Hope all is well. Sorry it takes soooo long to comment.
Redshift
Yes, Redshift. The verse you mentioned is the verse I spoke of. "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life". It is found in Proverbs 13:12. That is exactly why it is so important to follow this article up...otherwise it would be very dark indeed. I think of all the people who are living in that darkness and it is so very sad. Thank you so much for your comment.
It was soooooo good to hear from you! I hope you have an awesome Memorial Weekend!
Good to keep in mind...especially because we are going backpacking this weekend! Ahhh! haha :)
But this 'hope' topic is one I have also been thinking about. Its funny how the littlest things can bring hope. Like a smile. or a hamburger.
But seriously, hope is soooo importaint. When people have hope, they can do anything. It also says in Proverbs 29:18 "Where there is no vision, the people perish". I might be taking that out of context, but I feel like this verse is true of hope too. When we don't have vision, or hope, or a goal, or something to look forward to, we are a withering, shriviling pitiful plant ready to die.
But whats interesting is the only hope that remains consitent despite our circumstances is hope that is founded in Jesus Christ and the truth spoken about in the Bible. For example, as i mentioned before, hamburgers can be a source of hope for me. When I am so hungry that my stomach feels like it is home to a porkipine, and I walk in my front door to the delicious smell of sizzling hamburger meat sprinkled delightfully with little golden shreds of cheader cheese, a new hope springs up within me! Every ounce of previous annoyance or despair is gone and I am the happiest person alive!
...However, when i am so full that my belly feels like its gonna explode, hamburgers are no longer a source of hope for me :( Which means i gotta put my hope in something else! Something bigger.
Remembering heaven is a big source of hope for me, but something that is even better is remembering that we are going to die soon. Because WORRY is a huge hope killer! But when i remember that "All flesh is grass, and all it's loveliness is like the flower of the field....surely the people are grass" (Isaiah 40:6,7) Then i remember that since i am going to die soon, what I am worrying about prolly doesn't matter anyways!
Like I said, its funny how the littlest things can bring us hope.
Like remembering "our time is always ready" as Jesus so wisely points out in John7:6. hahahaha I love that verse its soooo funny! haha.
~adrienne
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