Day 4: Hope is risky business…

You know you’ve said it: I just don’t want to get my hopes up…..
It is risky to hope.  Once you let yourself start hoping you are committed to that thing.   And…what if….your hopes are dashed?  Is the pain worth the risk?  Yes.  100 times yes.
Here’s why it is more risky to live without hope:

• Hope partners you with the Almighty…. there is something in hope that requires surrender.   I don’t know how to adequately explain this but at it’s center hope acknowledges I am not big enough for this.  I can’t do this on my own. 
• Hope is for dreamers….and dreamers change the world.  Before you can do it you must dream it.   Dreaming is a slippery slope and before long you find yourself face first in hope.  Keep dreaming, keep hoping there is a world out there that needs you.
• Hope completes love.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things.  Stop hoping and love is a casualty.  Without love…we.are.nothing.

Yes, there will be times when you will be disappointed.  You will hurt.   Hope will be hard.  You might just risk it all and find in the end all that you have left is Jesus…but even then, what have you really lost?
All of our discouragements, disappointments, and let downs are answered in this simple truth:  God knows that the best thing He can give you is Himself.   Even if the pain is beyond bearing….
Keep hoping friend.