Things hoped for

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for. (Epicurus)

While we don't always hope for the best things in life, we all have some form of hope that occupies our minds and somehow motivates our internal man just a bit. Hope for the 'right stuff' and you are praised; hope for the 'wrong stuff' and you are criticized. What is the 'right stuff' in life? Is it really 'stuff'? Or is the 'right stuff' really what another delights in providing in our lives? Who is that 'another' I speak of? You already suspected it - Christ! We cannot hope for anything greater than his presence within us, his purpose being worked out through our lives, and his provision sustaining us as we fulfill that purpose.

Faith is what makes real the things we hope for. It is proof of what we cannot see. (Hebrews 11:1)

If faith is what 'makes real' the things we hope for, why is it some hope for so much and really don't see the evidence of it in their lives? It could be the thing hoped for is the worst thing for us! We don't always have the purest of hopes, do we? Sometimes we hope for things God knows will bring us nothing more than increased anxiety, overpowering feelings of guilt, or 'debt' of some sort that burdens our minds and souls. Those things might become anchors that weigh us down when all God wants for us is to be free. So, can we hope for a new vehicle? Yes, of course, but it may be that the timing is not correct, the financial burden too great for us right now, as the price we are about to pay will actually come down in just a few short months. God's 'no' to what we hope for is not to hurt us, but to protect us from unwise choices.

Faith is what makes real the things we hope for - proof of what we cannot see. There is no greater hope than for our lives to be renewed - regenerated by the power of the living God within us. There is no greater pursuit than righteousness, but how many other 'hopes' get in the way of that pursuit? What we hope for may actually be good, but the timing may not be correct. God may be working on other things within our character that will prepare us for whatever it is we are hoping for. We have to understand God is in the 'line upon line', 'precept upon precept' business. He does a little here within our character, so that he can impact a little there within our character. All the while, we are hoping for the work to be complete within us, but there are a few more 'lines' that might need development before we can say it is complete! Just sayin!