Hope Will Meet Us There

 

When winter comes to North Texas, it just bursts onto the scene. All at once, full force. Such it has been this weekend. Cold temperatures, grey skies, even a little snow.

Dreary is the best word to describe the day. But I enjoy a little winter. The snow was beautiful, not enough to be a problem but plenty to make children - and adults - old fashioned “snow day” giddy. Winter comes full force to North Texas, but it departs just as suddenly as it arrives. The dreariness is not permanent.

So it is with all of life. When we are discouraged, when we are afraid, when we are angry, it can seem that there could be no end in sight. The dreariness of our burdened hearts seems permanent. We lose sight of hope. When we lose hope, we can beat ourselves up, we can lash out at others, we can fall into ways of thinking that aren’t true to who we really are as people. Without hope, we can become lost in the dreariness of the moment.

That is why hope is so crucial to a healthy life.

We find these words in the book of Romans, “And not only this but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” People can disappoint. Life can disappoint. Hope does not, because hope is at work in us during all the dreariness we encounter. Hope has its roots in the love of God, which is always at work to bring light into the dreariness.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge wrote a line (which Bill Murray quoted in the movie “Ground Hog Day”,) “And Winter, slumbering in the open air, Wears on his smiling face a dream of Spring!”

The dreariness will give way to whatever is next. And whatever that “next” is, hope will meet us there.

Peace.