Hope Isn't Canceled

I recently signed up for a 5k run, the ‘Hope isn’t Canceled Run.’  I love the theme that the organizers came up with.  In the times we’re in, we need this message now more than ever.  Countless events over the past several months have been canceled.  A lot of our normal, everyday life has been changed and flipped upside down.  Who or what are we placing our hope in?  I think it is important to reflect on this particular question.

It’s so easy to look around the world and, more specifically, within our country and start to feel hopeless.  Our political ideologies are more polarized than we’ve ever seen.  We’re living through a pandemic.  The media is majorly slanted one way and works to instill fear and opposition. People are filled with hatred.  There is a loss of respect for human life.  The list goes on and on.  It seems like our world has been set on fire (and I’m not talking about St. Catherine of Siena’s version of setting the world on fire) only to continue burning.  Looking at this list, it is difficult to find much upon which to be hopeful about.  It is a good thing that we are not called to put our hope in these types of events, situations, and things of this world.  Things of this world will ultimately fail and disappoint us.  As people of faith, we are called to have real hope; hope in Jesus Christ.

If we have faith, we should also have hope.  What is hope?  It is not good thoughts, well wishes, positivity, or optimism.  These things are not bad.  However, hope is so much deeper.  If we are true followers of Christ, then hope must be embedded in who we are.  Hope is truly believing in Jesus Christ and all of His promises.

People may look around and ask us how we can possibly have hope with everything that is going on.  This is where we need to step up and offer the reasons for our hope.  We can have hope because of the good that Christ brings to our lives.  We can have hope because of His strength and love.  Most of all, we have hope because of the promise of eternal life in heaven.  

There is a lot going on in our world right now.  We can ask, “Will it ever change? When will it end?  Why can’t everyone just get along?”   Instead of asking these questions, let’s get out there and do something!  Let’s truly live out our faith during these trying times, defending goodness and truth.  Let’s share the beauty of life and spread the message of Christ because hope isn’t canceled.