Critical Questions
What does it mean to “risk” hoping? Why is hope crucial to our faith journeys? What is the purpose of hope and why do we have to take risks to grow in hope? Previously, I explained the three virtues of faith, hope, and love and how they are necessary for spiritual growth in the post below:
Faith, Hope, and Love
I admit that hope is the most challenging of the virtues for me to practice. After reading and reflecting, I want to share some insights with you on hope and the necessary risks involved. Many of these insights are explained in detail in Daniel B. Allender’s: The Healing Path: How the Hurts in Your Past Can Lead You to a More Abundant Life. I recommend purchasing his book and reading chapter Eight “The Dream of Hope.” I am including various quotes and paraphrases of his ideas for the use of religious education and encouragement that is made available online without charge and for non-profit purposes. Please consider purchasing this book. Dr. Allender presents challenging truths that will help you to process and grow through your difficulties.
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The Holy Bible, Berean Standard Bible, BSB
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This post was originally posted in March of 2023 and rewritten for October, 2023 publication. This post is part two of this topic:
Why is Hope a struggle? Why risk?
If you have experienced any form of loss then you personally know how hope can become a daily battle. Life is a series of storms that rage against us. No one will escape these trials nor can we expect our journeys of faith to be easy when seeking to follow and become more like Christ. Hebrews Chapter Eleven: The Roll Call of Faith explains what we can expect on our journeys.
To have hope is to believe that what comes in the future is going to be immeasurably better than what you are currently experiencing. God promises us eternity with Him in a state of absolute perfection that makes even the best moments of our earthly lives seem as dim shadows. C.S. Lewis writes about this as well–there are numerous good articles online. For a quick read:
Role of Desire and Risk
C.S. Lewis writes (quick summary) that we don’t desire enough of the right things! When we experience loss and disappointments in life, we arrive at a crossroads. One road leads to bitterness, retreat, and attempting to kill our desires in an attempt to abate the pain. Another road leads to our desires growing in a new direction. Dr. Allender reminds us that our hurts can be paths to love God and others more. It’s our pain that leads us to Christ! What do you desire? What is in our lives that God calls us to surrender to Himself?
What do I mean by “risk”? We have to take risks in growing in hope! We can’t grow in hope when we are totally focused on being comfortable and safe! If we are totally satisfied with the things of our lives here on earth then we don’t hunger for the God’s much better things. God is the Giver of All Good Things as taught in James 1:17 BSB
17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.
God graciously blesses us with good health, jobs/careers to provide for ourselves and family as well as spiritual gifts, talents, and other wonderful things! But do we start to love the gifts and good things more than He who gives them freely?
The Risk: God Calls Us to Grow
Do we risk growing in hope? Do we choose to remain distant, hurt, comfortable and content instead of pressing ahead in becoming more like Christ? What if Abram had ignored God’s call? He was already established and set in his life living with his family. What about Moses? What if he had ignored the burning bush and kept tending the sheep in the desert? Let’s consider Jesus’ Disciples for a moment. What if Peter, James, and John kept fishing and going about their lives instead of following Christ? What about Mary and Martha, they could have rejected and turned away from Jesus when Lazarus died?
Thankfully we will never know the answer to these what if questions because these men and women dared to hope and faith! They risked all to follow Christ. Jesus calls us to come to Him and find true life which involves us surrendering to Him. Consider this quote:
It (hope) grows only to the degree we lean into the unknown and risk the present for the sake of the future. The risk of hope is seeing what can’t be seen. It is seeing the future from the redemption of the past and then setting out toward what God has called us to become and do.
Dan B. Allender “The Dream of Hope” pg. 148
God works through our past and present hurts/failures to move us toward becoming more like Him. God invites you to His presence wherein we surrender ourselves to be transformed. Surrender to God means that we are trusting in His Grace, Mercy, and Righteousness to save and renew us. This is a miraculous work of God! He takes the unrighteousness and sinful and makes new creatures! We risk becoming something better than what we are!
Part of healing from past hurts and disappointments appears in our journey to become more like Christ. Do we keep walking in faith, seeking, believing, and loving God even when experiencing long periods of silence and set-backs? Thanks for reading!
Words of Grace & Hope 
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