Romans 5:3-5: “We rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us…”
Why doesn’t hope disappoint us? “… because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”
You might think in our cynical age that the antidote would be optimism, but no! It’s action! It’s action which is born out of hope! Cynicism gives up on believing the world can be changed, and that becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. What a relief that Paul is such a realist. There is no pretense! He acknowledges that suffering is part of the package, as God uses it to develop in us perseverance and character, and ultimately lived-out hope.
Jim Wallis writes: “Ultimately, cynicism protects you from commitment. If things are not really going to change, why try so hard to make a difference? And if you have middle-class economic security (as many cynics do), things don’t have to change for you to remain secure. That is not intended to sound harsh, just realistic. Cynics are finally free just to look after themselves… Perhaps the only people who view the world realistically are the cynics and the saints. Everybody else may be living in some kind of denial about what is really going on and how things really are. And the only difference between the cynics and the saints is the presence, power, and possibility of hope… Hope is not a feeling; it is a decision. And the decision for hope is based on what you believe at the deepest levels. You choose hope, not as a naïve wish, but as a choice, with your eyes wide open to the reality of the world – just like the cynics who have not made the decision for hope.”
Lord, I believe that the world can be changed, and that you’re wanting to involve me in the process. I choose to live a hope-filled life today. Amen!
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