The Gift of Experience: Hope Prevails

Hope Is An Attitude

"An attitude of Hope brings about consequences of positivism." ~Crissy

We get to choose what to focus on in our lives. Those things which bring dismal results, or those things over which we have no control, should stay in the back of our minds. Staying hopeful about our situations and future, and focusing on that which is good and right, will bring about the joy so many of us pursue daily.

"If only you knew what I'm going through," you say. "My teen is hard-headed and stubborn and loves to argue with me." Your teen will make an excellent lawyer. "My spouse comes in from work and doesn't help around the house." Do you commend your spouse for working hard and supporting the family?

We all play a role in society and at home. Keeping hope alive means not only for yourself, but for your family, colleagues, and friends as well.

When we learn to give positive feedback, to focus on what's RIGHT rather than what's WRONG, it becomes an attitude of gratitude and hope follows suit. I've seen this in my own son. When he was about 11 years old, I began writing him encouraging letters. At that age, it was hard to get him away from his friends to talk to him about the things that matter, so the letters were my effort to communicate about important issues.

I once summarized I Corinthians 13 (which, in the Bible, is the chapter that describes what love is and is not) in one of those letters. He said it made him tear up. Him voicing those words brought me hope that I was getting through to him. Today, he is 20, and has an excellent job in an up-and-coming field installing solar panels and he's making great money. My hope for him, even through his difficulty in school, stayed intact and the consequence was positive.

So, stay hopeful despite your current difficulty, and you will reap a harvest of goodness.

God Bless.