When Life Is Hard Sometimes We Must Find The Courage To Hope
http://www.faithinreligion.net/articles/10046/1/When-Life-Is-Hard-Sometimes-We-Must-Find-The-Courage-To-Hope/Page1.html
Ron Connerly
Pastor Ronald S. Connerly is the Senior Pastor of New Beginnings Church. This independent "New Church Plant" began January sixth of 2002. New Beginnings is a Cedar Rapids area Christian Church By Ron Connerly
Published on 01/6/2012
As we face a new year there have been disappointments. We have been hurt. We have been let down and let ourselves down. In the face of almost certain disappointment again where do we find the courage to hope again? It must be the unending grace of God.
I recall a sleep study I did several years back and I inquired of the technician about her belief in God. She said it was so much superstition and imagination that she was not going to be duped into believing in a fantasy. Well I felt somewhat confident in dealing with agnostics but such blatant atheism was not something I felt confident to address in the time it took to hook up the wires and prepare me for bed. After years of reflection on that interchange that went nowhere evangelistic-ally I thought that she must not have ever experienced a miracle of God. But then they are so evident everywhere that I thought that impossible. Maybe she failed to recognize the miracles of God that are all around us. Paul mentions in his letter to the Romans.
Romans 1: 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
In this letter Paul talks about how nature itself witness to God and therefore no one has any excuse.
There are miracles everywhere for us to see if we but look. Miracles are everywhere like in how people whom we annoy stay around and love us anyway. Miracles like hope that gets born anew following disappointment after disappointment. Hope is such an important thing to have. Without out hope there is no faith.
As we face a new year there have been disappointments. We have been hurt. We have been let down and let ourselves down. In the face of almost certain disappointment again where do we find the courage to hope again? It must be the unending grace of God. We can find the courage to hope again because God continues to invite us again and again to His grace. God invites us at the communion table. God invites us again with forgiveness. God invites us again back to His path of righteousness. God mentions grace over 1200 times in the (RSV). Who are we not to hope? God knows we are discouraged. God knows our hearts are still healing. God knows that any path to holiness must be a path that begins in the human heart and that takes hope.
Romans 1: 18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
In this letter Paul talks about how nature itself witness to God and therefore no one has any excuse.
There are miracles everywhere for us to see if we but look. Miracles are everywhere like in how people whom we annoy stay around and love us anyway. Miracles like hope that gets born anew following disappointment after disappointment. Hope is such an important thing to have. Without out hope there is no faith.
As we face a new year there have been disappointments. We have been hurt. We have been let down and let ourselves down. In the face of almost certain disappointment again where do we find the courage to hope again? It must be the unending grace of God. We can find the courage to hope again because God continues to invite us again and again to His grace. God invites us at the communion table. God invites us again with forgiveness. God invites us again back to His path of righteousness. God mentions grace over 1200 times in the (RSV). Who are we not to hope? God knows we are discouraged. God knows our hearts are still healing. God knows that any path to holiness must be a path that begins in the human heart and that takes hope.