For those of us who may be getting a little older, life has a way of revealing its many limitations. Whether things have been taken from us or even just minimized for us, like our vitality, we all eventually come to recognize our earthly life’s inadequacy for fulfilling our greatest desires. Likewise, as we mature in the spiritual life, at any age, we inevitably begin to place our hopes in things eternal, albeit things we have not yet seen.
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1)
Interestingly, if you search Amazon books for the title, Hope is not a Strategy, you will actually find about a dozen or so books by that title. Of course, they all have something to do with worldly events like running a business, leading a military unit, or coaching a sports team. No doubt, many of us would agree that just hoping for things to happen in those fields of endeavor is not really a strategy. The market, or an enemy, or an opposing sports team does not promise you victory.
However, when it comes to spiritual matters and those things that affect our eternal life, we can take consolation in the fact that Hope is a strategy that does lead to victory, if we place our hopes in the right person.
Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)
And just what is this victory Paul is referring to? He actually tells us in a Letter to Titus.
I, Paul, a servant of God…[ write to you] in the hope of eternal life that God, who never lies, promised before the ages began. (Titus 1:1-2)
It is interesting to note that in his Epistles, Paul actually uses the word Hope 51 times. It seems clear Paul had an eternal strategy based on Hope. But his hope was not some pollyannish, wild-eyed wish that things would get better. Indeed, Paul knew two very important things about the virtue of hope.
First, the measure of our hope is the measure of our desire. Hope is unfulfilled expectation of what we have not yet received but none the less desire.
Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? (Romans 8:24b)
Paul also knew that the object of his hope was not going to reveal itself in this world in the way he might otherwise have expected. He understood that he would have to wait for its fulfillment, which only served to increase his desire, which actually is the whole point.
Paul also understood he would need to practice two very important virtues as both his hope and desire continued to increase.
The first of those was mentioned above from Hebrews 11:1, it is faith. This is simply faith in God’s promise.
But the other virtue required a great deal of effort on Paul’s part, as it will for us.
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Romans 8:25)
Did you catch the virtue, the last word in that verse?
But why the waiting, why the need for us to patiently endure the absence of our hoped-for desire? The answer is simple - so that we too can be made perfect.
Our faith is that God never makes a mistake, He does nothing wrong; He is perfect and does everything perfectly. And He also does whatever He does on our behalf. God then is fashioning us into His perfect image – in hope.
This is perhaps most especially true when God allows us to suffer trials, like some of the ones we may be going through now. This maturing of our spiritual life happens to us as we transition from the ultimately unsatisfying reality of our earthly life, and we move in hope toward a deeper desire for eternal life.
My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance (patience); and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4)
Perhaps we might ask God this week for the Grace to endure, mature, and allow our hope in His promise to increase our desire for His gift of eternal life. If we do, we will also do all we can to prepare ourselves to receive this gift.
If you have specific prayer requests or praise reports, please pass them along.
God Bless
Copyright © 2024, Deacon Mark Danis
Image credit: “The Apostle Paul” (detail), St. Sophia of Kyiv, Artist Unknown, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons