HOPE HAS A NAME, HOPE DOES NOT DISAPPOINT

Sharing an excellent talk by Rev Fr Mike Schmitz, may you be blessed as I am, by the gems from Fr Mike.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmWEXloc9cU 

Below are some points transcribed from the video - meant for ease of re-read/reflection.  (We will be shortchanging ourselves if we skip the video and just read the notes so I encourage you to please do listen to Fr Mike's talk.  The video is about half an hour - it is so worth investing just those 30 minutes, to gain a lifetime of wisdom and freedom. ) 

 

As Christians, we grieve differently

To experience disappointment is not abnormal.  To be saddened by missing out on what we long for is not unchristian.    

When we lose someone, we can grieve.  When we lose opportunities, we can grieve.  But like what St Paul says, we don't grieve like the rest.

 

What our disappointment, our loss, our grieve reveal

In the midst of disappointment, in the midst of loss, in the midst of grieve, our very heart is revealed to us.  And what is revealed are the things in which we have placed our hope.

The depth of my sadness, grieve, loss reveal where I had placed our hope.  My sadness, my grieve and my loss reveal my idols.
 

What are the rivals in our relationship with God

There are certain relationships in our lives that are exclusive. These relationships do not tolerate rivals, like in a marriage.  To bring in another person into such relationships will not add to the fun, joy nor the love, but would destroy the relationship.

Our relationship with the Lord God is an exclusive relationship.  He doesn't want to be one among many.  He is either the centre of our lives, or he is not in our lives. He is either the heart of our lives, or he is not even part of our lives.  He is either everything in our lives, or he is essentially nothing in our lives.

Our relationship with Jesus is does not tolerate rivals.  The depth of our grieve reveals the degree to which Jesus has a rival for our hope in our lives.  What have we made idols in our lives?  What have we placed our hope in?

Expectation is the killer of joy

In life, we have expectations, and when expectations do not come true, we become disappointed.  Expectations is the killer of joy.  Often, we expect without knowing why we expect, we just expect.

Trying to control trusting God

We expect to know how, we want to know when, and we want things happen the way we want it.  That is not trusting God.  That is trying to control trusting God.

We expect Jesus to give us what we want.  But that is not faith and that is not hope. 

What trusting God means?

Trusting God means we hold on to God's promises and nothing else. We will experience so much freedom, so much joy, so much hope if we do not expect from God what he hasn't promised.

What does God promises us?

God never promises us outcome.  But we have expectations of a certain outcome.  If my hope is based on an outcome, my hope is entirely conditional.  If my faith is based on a circumstance, my faith is circumstantial.  What we need is a faith that is unwavering. 

The promise of God is that through Jesus Christ, we will be saved.  Do we want Him or do we want an outcome in this life?

Hope is trust in God extended into the future

Hope is not a wish, it is not a feeling, it is trust.  Hope is trust in God extended into the future.  God calls us from a place of certainty to a place of uncertainty.  All we need to know is God is He is with us.

God never promises us that we will know what's next

God never promises that we will know the next step.  We do not need to how, all we need to know who He is and that he is going to be with us.  We have expectations of promises of God never made.

What do God promise us?

Jesus promises - when we pray no one else might see it, He promises us that the Father sees and He knows.

He promises that when we do the right thing and no one knows or care, that the Father knows, and He cares. 

Jesus promises that if we follow Him and pick up our cross and deny ourselves, we will have life with Him.

Jesus says that He will send us out as sheep among wolf, but he promises will be with us.

The promises of Jesus is not that we belong to Him and we will get everything we wanted.  In fact, Jesus promises us that in this world we will have trouble.

In this we place our hope

It is in the promises of Jesus Christ where we place our hope. Our hope is not that everything will work out, that we will have everything we want.  Our hope is not that we will never know grieve we will never know loss.

Jesus tells us that in this world, we will have loss, we will have pain, we will experience disappointments, we will face death and we will have troubles.  But he says take heart because He has overcome this world.   

Jesus' great promise

This is His great promise - that there will come a day when every tear will be wiped away, every pain eased, everyone who died will rise.  That is the promise.  But for now, and until that day, Jesus promises us that He will be with us - always and  until that day and unto eternity.

Our hope is not placed in outcome

Our hope is not placed in outcomes, it is not based on circumstances or consequences.  Our hope is in His promise, that in our darkest hour, our darkest moment,  in the moment we give our last breath - Jesus is saying, dont be afraid, I will be with you.  That is where we place our hope.

Hope is not a wish, hope has a name, He name is Jesus.