Do you want change in your life?
Desiring change thrusts us into a dilemma, even if we don’t immediately recognize it. All desire is born of dissatisfaction. Often, without your permission, desire creates visions of a new reality. Once you’ve seen this new reality, you are forced into the dilemma. Do I pursue or ignore this desire?
First, test the desire. It may be unhealthy, unprofitable, unrealistic or ungodly. Those need to get tossed. If the desire comes from a positive place, like the desire to be healthier, you then have another choice—to wish for change or to hope for change. They are very different.
Wishing doesn’t ask anything from you. A wish is a fantasy and a vapor. It’s like cotton candy for the soul. It tastes sweet, but gives you nothing of value. Just like sugar, too much wishing can lead to cycles of dissatisfaction.
Hoping asks you to change. It demands action, because hope is anchored in possibility. Even a distant, vague or seemingly impossible hope can become your new reality. You only have to pursue it by faith.
- Hope creates vision, planning and movement.
- Hope feeds the soul with virtues like love, patience and faith.
- Hope brings joy, positive thoughts and expectation.
- Hope fuels our character and gives us reasons to strive.
- Hope leads us out of dissatisfaction to a better place.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Roman 15:13