Hope And Despair

By Jonathan D. Payne 
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The American Christian Journal
COMMENTARY

When we take a look at who we are, we tend to use "boxes", much like we do with most things, individually and collectively. We quietly pack those boxes with the perceptions we have of certain things. We look at ourselves with either hope for the future or despair for where we have come from or are currently in life.

Note the differences in tense, application and time. Hope tends to move us into the future, and despair mires us in the past or perhaps an hurtful present with no opportunity to move forward.

I for one look to moving forward into a new day and new opportunities.

This has not always been the case in my life. But I must say that in all I still had a choice to fall into despair, or grab ahold of hope for the future. It was always my choice to make. But when you say that, many people have said "what could you have gone through" compared to their own "pity party"? It is then that you are faced with a decision for life, to live in the pain or climb the mountain and overcome - no matter what someone else may think or have gone through themselves.

This is not a contest of who has been hurt the most. Nor a chance to foster care from others because you have had SO bad. To quote my sister Loreal "it does not matter what has happened to you, but what you do with it!" This is truly a profound truth. I for one chose, and choose, hope.

And just for those who think anyone else has it better in life, let me disabuse you of this consideration. I have been a drug addict, I have been raped several times growing up, I have been homeless (and that particularly has been most recently), I have been lied about and on and by family, I have been accused of stealing from others, and I have been beaten and left for dead in a ditch. 

And honestly that is the short version. 

And I lost my immediate family because of going through the course of all this, though that seems that will be healed, we'll see. It does not matter if you have money, position, power or even simple faith, all that matters is that choice to rise up in hope in God or the slippery slope of despair that seeks to consume all good in your life and world.

We must stop and ask ourselves the question do we REALLY seek to be a victim? 

Well for many that is the growing concern and the mantra for their lives. It is like they seek a green card to enter in to the arena of hurt, pain and the need to cry. Why? It took me many years to fully step out of this trap of life, and I am truly free. But again, there are so many who seek the comfort of "woe is me" and not girding up their loins like men, and finding a life of solutions NOT excuses.

Until that happens nothing will substantively change when you walk in despair, playing the victim for all to see. Yes, life hands out many hard things to deal with, again read the above list I lived through. And almost everyone can relate in this. So choose life by choosing hope - and that is only in God.

Be blessed, be loved and be at peace. May the light of God's glory and presence fire the brilliance of your souls. You are greatly loved.