Cultivating Hope
By Silvia Carcamo Z | [email protected]
Sharing in community, with family, as a couple, assisting those who need it most, recreating, practicing what relaxes you or simply being; contemplating nature, cultivating spirituality and aesthetics, enjoying cultural goods and other gifts received are experiences that give more positivity and meaning to life. However, overwhelmed by the activity of each day, it seems that we devote little or almost no attention to all these wonders that God gives us in our lives.
A good part of our days is spent in instrumental purposes: household chores, upbringing, care, transfers, work productivity, paperwork, waiting and a long list of activities. Likewise, the invasion of screens, networks, shows and offers of all kinds have not only been filling the physical, visual, sound spaces and, therefore, our mental lives, but also seem to be suffocating our soul and the ability to transcend beyond the daily maelstrom.
It is clear that the rhythms of life are accelerating at a dizzying pace and that work, personal and social existence, seems to be threatened by too many demands. We have been losing the ability to be amazed and to celebrate the privilege of being alive and the possibilities of exploring fundamental dimensions of the human experience with God and our families.
The years of pandemic, the climate emergency, the eruption of artificial intelligence and its unsuspected consequences show the fragility of human existence and constructions. We are facing a disturbing immediate future, somewhat bleak, marked by uncertainty and skepticism, the doubt that it will go well for us oh no.
In this scenario, it is worth asking ourselves, what space, what time are we giving to cultivate hope and trust in God for our lives?
Personally, I have learned that trust is more than being positive, we must take a step and activate our mind in such a positive way that it activates our body, and we can be creative, Cultivating hope allows you to have the ability to plan.
Hope is not just trusting that tomorrow will be in our favor. It is also allowing us to act by drawing up plans, devising changes in order to be an active part of that change, of that coming transformation that will be good for everyone, regardless of the changes in climate, religion or politics around our society.
When there is hope, the mind is oriented towards a goal and gives meaning to the waiting. The moment our brain activates this focus, strength and emotion shape the ability to plan, to draw strategies and routes with which to overcome the present situation. Maintaining a realistic but positive view of things broadens our perspectives on life and that is a skill we should all improve.
The Bible teaches that hope is a gift of the Holy Spirit that encourages us to live with confidence in God and his promises. Hope is a foundation of faith, an anchor of the soul, and a principle of promise that leads us to peace, mercy, joy, and gladness
Hope encourages and strengthens us. This makes us happy. “Through Jesus too, and through faith, we have access to this grace in which we stand firm. So we rejoice in the hope of attaining to the glory of God.”47 Our hope encourages us to be courageous and share our faith; those of us who have hope cannot help but offer that same hope to those who need it!
So today you and I can learn more about having faith and hope and help others gain that hope.”48 The psalmist also wrote, “Let integrity and righteousness be my protection, for I have put my hope in you.”4 Let us be just, help, encourage, and above all love so that we may also receive of the blessings that God has for each of us through faith and hope, this is the pattern that God has set in His Word.
