Hope Anyway

I was going through some pictures on an app I have the other day and I came across one with a quote on it by George Bernard Shaw. Now, this man has had many things to say, and most of them humorous or wise, but this one made me think.

"He who has never hoped can never despair."

Looking at it one way, you can say it is telling you that life is better if you don't hope--because then you can not despair. 

Looking at it another, you could say that at least those who despair at one time had hope.

It caused me to think on the way people look at life. I know I have spoken to people who would rather not be disappointed than to hope for something that may not happen. In fact, I myself have, on many occasions, chosen the more certain route in favor of being disappointed in the end. 

One of my favorite scripture passages is found in Romans 5. It says:

We have also obtained access through Him by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:2-5)

When we go through hard times, we learn endurance. Endurance produces character. Character produces hope. And this hope does not disappoint. 

Maybe I can't understand it all completely, and maybe you think I'm crazy for trying to make a point when I don't know everything about the point I'm making, but I believe this and for now I think that is enough.

If I may, I'll leave us with a challenge. Don't read that quote and think, "Well, that's right. It's just safer not to hope." Look at it instead and decide that you're going to hope anyway. It won't disappoint. It'll be worth it. I believe that.