When Hope Is Found

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;  and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:3-5 NASB)

Hopelessness is the condition of a person when they have run out of favorable alternatives.  It is supposed to be a condition unique to those who do not know Jesus.  For inexplicable reasons, it seems to afflict followers of Jesus as well.

Sometimes I imagine the Holy Spirit within me shouting at the top of His whisper, "It will be okay, just be patient and wait on Me!"  And I'm not listening.  I'm hearing the noise from my bank and bills, from the news and alarmists, and from my own wants and fears.  The shouting drowns out the whisper of the Comforter, my Master's Spirit.

Ironically, the noise I hear isn't necessarily a lie, or wrong in whatever assessment, it's wrong in its interpretation.  It's not the facts that are wrong, it's the conclusions drawn.  The conclusions drawn are typically doom.  And for things of this world and life, that could be right.  And fighting such darkness is really hard when it's all I see and hear.  And that's how I arrive at hopelessness.

But when I hear the whisper of the Spirit of my Master, things within me change.  The darkness becomes gloom, and I can faintly make out the workers of evil from spiritual realms.  I see that I, and so many others are deceived into hopelessness.  It is hard to fight against darkness, until I hear and embrace the words of my Master.  Then it's not me against the world, it's me and my Master.  At that point, I win, no contest.

But so often, in the process of losing the voice of my Master's Spirit, I also lose sight of the end of the journey.  This place I live in truly is destined for fire.  A new one is coming, and I am destined for that one.  So when I face the things here as if they are sooo important, so vital to my life, and so overwhelming, I am looking at the wrong world.

I'm not here to make here better.  That ends up being a byproduct of me doing what I am here for.  I'm here to help others find the new world coming.  That only happens when my Master calls them, and they respond to Him.  So, I try to distract them from this world long enough for them to hear my Master's call.  This is impossible if I'm distracted by them and what they're doing.

The problem for me is that this sense of my life is hard to sustain.  I like comfort here.  But look at how Paul puts it: "...tribulations bring about perseverance, perseverance proven character, and proven character hope..."  The path to hope starts with tribulations and perseverance, i.e. "character-building".  That's not the "fun" way. I don't like that way.  But I'm not useful to my Master in rescuing souls without it.

So, this is not all there is, and I am to live the truth of that.  I know better, and I know where I'm headed.  I know the light shining from transparent streets of gold comes from the face of my Master.  That's the "church" I'm headed for.  One day, my Master will drink again of the fruit of the vine anew with me in His Kingdom.  That's where I'm headed.  Does that shake anyone else enough to hear the whisper of my Master's Spirit?  Follow it!