“When you feel yourself reacting negatively to something you hear, hit pause in your mind.
Ask yourself (1) ‘Why am I reacting this way?’ and (2) ‘What could this conversation be like without my reaction?'”
– Sarah Holland, Beth Silvers

The Overwhelming Divide

We all face moments when the world can feel overwhelming, especially again this year when it comes to politics.

At times it appears hopeless. The divide seems too large to bridge. Red states, blue states, progressives, conservatives, us vs them makes us wonder if there is any common ground left.

In the past few years, I’ve found myself more politically aware than ever before. While it’s been empowering to better understand the issues, it’s also been disheartening. Talking politics can both fire me up and bring me down.

But even in politics, there is hope, right?

A Shift in Perspective

Yes, there is reason to hope. This quote by Sarah Holland and Beth Silvers gives me hope. It’s from their book, I Think You’re Wrong (But I’m Listening): A Guide to Grace-Filled Political Conversations.

“We’ve decided to stop calling America ‘divided.’

Buying into this conflict-driven narrative is a choice, and it’s a choice we’re not going to make. We don’t feel divided from each other or the people in our lives in any way.

There are no perfect relationships, ideas, people, or organizations in our lives. They’re all flawed, just as we are flawed.

But we see past those flaws—because we are first looking for the good.“

5 Commitments to Practice Hope in Politics

Here are five commitments from I Think You’re Wrong that we can use to practice hope in political discussions.

1. Commit to recognizing and putting down your defensiveness.

2. Commit to learning something in the discussion.

3. Commit to having a dialogue instead of giving alternate speeches.

4. Commit to assessing whether it’s the right time to say what is on your mind.

5. Commit to ending the discussion by strengthening the relationship.

Within the boundaries of these commitments, perhaps we can talk politics with our family, friends, and even strangers more productively and with respect. Through this approach we can grow in self-awareness and love for others whether we’re on the same side of an issue or polar opposite. We can let go of our daily moral outrage at every new controversial statement and instead listen with curiosity.

As Beth and Sarah wisely put it,

“Remember that you are part of something so much bigger than one election, one vote, and one law.”

I want to believe this. So this is my reminder to choose hope, even in politics.

* * *

Who do you talk politics with? Everybody, nobody, only a select few? Do you find it hopeful? Please share in the comments.

revised from the archives

What are some symbols of hope you see in your world? For me, flowers are often signs of hope, especially those that finagle a way to bloom through a crack in the pavement, or unexpectedly spring to life from a stem I thought was dead.

One flower that stands out as a traditional symbol of hope is the iris.

The name “iris” comes from the Greek word for rainbow. In ancient Greek mythology, Iris was the messenger of the gods and the personification of the rainbow. She was said to be the vital link between heaven and earth, traveling along rainbows. The Greeks often planted irises over the graves of women, believing that the goddess Iris would guide the dead on their journey to heaven.

In my own garden, the irises are some of the hardiest perennials. They grow in poor soil. They continue to return year after year with minimal attention.

That gives me hope.

The iris’s characteristics of resilience, adaptability, and faithfulness are characteristics I want to cultivate in my own life, too.

These traits remind us that regardless of the season we’re in, a new spring is always around the corner.

Just like the iris, we can become symbols of hope by being resilient, adaptable, and faithful.

The next time you see an iris, let it be a reminder to embrace these qualities and to hold onto hope, no matter the challenges you face.

* * *

Share your thoughts in the comments.

revised from the archives

The dove is often viewed as a symbol of hope. (See how anchors are also a symbol of hope in the Bible.)

Broken Bird Feeder

I see bird seed spilled on the ground in our front yard. The squirrel is having a feast.

I had recently added a plastic dome over the bird feeder to keep the squirrels from wiping out the food in just a few hours.

But once again, my plot was foiled.

The squirrel outsmarted me. He chewed the rope holding the bird feeder, causing it to fall to the ground, and breaking it wide open.

Doves as Hope

I want to watch the birds, not the squirrels, at the bird feeder hanging on our cherry tree.

While I’m not a serious bird-watcher (I can only identify a handful for certain), I do know a few.

One of the birds I know is the dove. We have many doves that eat from the bird feeder (when the squirrels haven’t emptied it out.)

I like watching the doves. Doves remind me to hope.

Associating doves with hope originates from the biblical story of Noah’s ark in Genesis 7-8. It is written that after Noah and his family ride out the 40-day rainstorm, waters rise for another 5 months. In the next 5 months, waters begin receding, leaving the ark to rest on the mountains of Ararat.

The story continues that Noah opens the window. He sends out a raven. But it only flies back and forth because there is nowhere for it to land.

Noah next sends out a dove, but it can’t land either.

Another week passes. Noah sends out the dove again. This time it returns back to Noah with a gift, a freshly picked olive leaf.

timeline revised from bible.ca

Thrive in Hope

Noah’s hope is coming true. He knows there is life again outside the ark. God has not abandoned him.

But the story continues. Noah waits one more week and releases the dove a third time. This time the bird doesn’t return at all, a sign that it is able to live on its own.

The dove found its own bird food.

The dove was a tangible reminder to Noah to hope. When he needed evidence that new life was possible, the dove brought it.

We All Need Hope

In the New Testament, a dove lights on Jesus after he is baptized in the Jordan River by John. Here the dove represents the Spirit of God and is accompanied by God’s voice from heaven, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

The apostle Paul writes that God is the God of hope. It is through the power of the Spirit that we can overflow with hope (Romans 15:13).

I need more hope. Hope for fresh starts. Hope for renewal. Hope for the dawning of a new day.

And hope for more doves to feed in my front yard.

I look online this morning for a new bird feeder. I add one to my cart. I click “buy.”

I’ll start again.

Hope really does spring eternal.

* * *

Share your thoughts in the comments.

READ MORE ABOUT HOPE:

• 4 Ways to Express Your Hope
  When you feel too cynical or things seem hopeless, that’s a great time to practice your hope. Here are 4 ways.
• Get Your Hopes Up for Good Gifts Ahead
  We can’t imagine the gifts God has planned for us or what time they will arrive. But we can know they will be good. Get your hopes up.
• When Hope Feels Dangerous
  Our hope for the future isn’t defined by our past. Here’s why we should continue to practice hope, even when it feels dangerous.
  

On my final post for this Practicing Hope series, I want to summarize 4 places to look for hope. In such few words, it capsulizes everything I’ve been trying to say.

It matters where you look for hope. It determines what you see.

These four directions are from the book, Mere Hope, by Jason Duesing. You can read more from his book here.

Where should you look for hope?

1. Look down

Look down to find the foundation of hope. Find the good news of the gospel as its base.

2. Look in

Look in to find the fountain of hope, Jesus Christ. He is the living hope that resides inside us.

3. Look out

Look out and see the flourishing of hope. Share it locally; share it globally.

4. Look up

Look up to focus on the truth of hope. Be reminded of our future.

* * *

Think about all the things that happened yesterday.

How many did you correctly predict? We are lousy predictors of what’s next.

While we can plan and prepare, life throws us more unexpected events than expected ones. We can’t control the unknown.

Because we can’t accurately predict the future, we’re sometimes afraid to get our hopes up.

How do we deal with this?

We place our hope in God’s future grace.

“Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off.”
Proverbs 23:18

Because God is good, we can trust he has good things in whatever comes next, even if bad things happen alongside them (Jeremiah 29:11).

The Lord goes before us and plants good gifts in our future. He has more than enough resources, power, and will to line up these gifts for our receiving at just the right time.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.”
Matthew 6:33-34

We can better enjoy today when we believe in God’s provisions for tomorrow. We can stay present, knowing that God will handle our future.

Does that mean we stop planning for the future? No. We still look ahead and prepare, but we can release the obsession about it. We can live in today.

“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:6

When we trust in God’s replenishment of our manna each day, we no longer have to hoard. We can freely use up today’s resources, knowing that tomorrow we’ll be given a fresh supply. We’re also more willing to share with others when we’re less consumed with getting our own needs met. We can trust God to finish what he’s started in us.

Hoping in God’s future grace is our open door to receive peace in this day.

We can’t imagine the gifts God has planned for us, how they will be wrapped, or what time they will arrive. But we can know they will be good. They will be grace. They will be God.

Count on it. Get your hopes up. There are good gifts in your future.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
Psalm 23:6

* * *

Revised from the archives
at Do Not Depart

What gets you unsettled about the future? What restores your peace? Please share in the comments.

“I could ponder the problem, or I could remember the promise. I could choose anxiety, or I could choose hope. I opted for hope.“
– Max Lucado

Sometimes we forget to hope because we forget the promise.

The promises of God aren’t to be taken lightly. What God says, God means. He is faithful. He cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18).

And God’s promises are good.

“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness . . .
by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature.”
(2 Peter 1:3-4)

I need to remember his promises more, especially when I start to worry. His promises are my avenue to participate with him in an abundant life.

God’s promises come from his character. And God’s character is Love. Because of his love, hope can abound.

I hold to the promises. I opt for hope.

* * *

Which promise of God are you clinging to this week? Please share in the comments.

This is Day 25 of Practicing Hope for #Write28Days. See all the articles here.

Yesterday I asked for prayers for my friend in ICU.

THANK YOU for your gracious responses, publicly and privately. I appreciate your faith, your care, and your hope.

This song is my response of late when hopelessness tries to assert itself. I raise my hallelujah higher than my doubts. It is one way I can practice having hope.

Hope will arise.

I raise a hallelujah, with everything inside of me

I raise a hallelujah, I will watch the darkness flee

I raise a hallelujah, in the middle of the mystery

I raise a hallelujah, fear you lost your hold on me

* * *

When You Hear the Singing

You mainly hear whirs and swishes and clicks of machines in ICU.

My best friends and I are spending many hours standing vigil there the past few weeks. We listen to the sounds. We monitor the numbers. We watch for signs of progress.

Another lifelong friend is struggling to survive.

So when I hear the singing, I am startled.

4 Ways to Express Hope

The singing is coming from a nurse. As she moves around the room, circling over our friend, checking screens, and adjusting medicines, she is also quietly singing.

Singing can be a sound of hope overflowing. That’s what I need to hear.

These are four ways we can best express our hope, says Jason G. Duesing in Mere Hope.

1. Remember
2. Pray
3. Sing
4. Share

In a culture of cynicism or in a circumstance of hopelessness, we need to be reminded to hope.

“To live a life of mere hope is to live knowing that our story ends in joy.”

• We express hope when we remember the goodness of God.
• We express hope when we pray in conversation with God.
• We express hope when we sing out of our overflow or when hope needs restoring.
• We express hope when we share with others our source of hope.

As the nurse continues to sing, I know it doesn’t mean my friend is out of danger. But it does mean that in this present moment he is stable. No panics. No alarms. No scares.

Her expression of hope brings assurance. It brings calm. It serves me.

“Hope flourishes when it is employed in the service of others.”

It is the sign I need.

* * *

What hope are you holding open this week? Please share in the comments.

Here’s a song of hope I’ve been singing lately.

Hope. It comes from somewhere. It has a source. 

I love how The Message phrases these next few verses (Psalm 62:5-8). Read them slowly. Let them go deep.

“God, the one and only— I’ll wait as long as he says. Everything I hope for comes from him, so why not?

He’s solid rock under my feet, breathing room for my soul, an impregnable castle: I’m set for life.

My help and glory are in God —granite-strength and safe-harbor-God—

So trust him absolutely, people; lay your lives on the line for him. God is a safe place to be.”

God is the safest place to be.

* * *

This is Day 20 of Practicing Hope.

Not So Quick

Which is it, Solomon?

• Don’t answer a fool. You’ll only look foolish yourself (Proverbs 26:4).
• Answer a fool. Otherwise he’ll think he’s wise (Proverbs 26:5).

The Bible isn’t as simple as we’d like it to be. Nor is it as plain. As Peter Enns says in his new book, How the Bible Actually Works, the Bible is not “a teacher’s edition textbook with the answers supplied in the back,” as handy as that would be.

Written thousands of years ago, everything in the Bible is also not relevant to our own culture or times. The laws for the Israelites’ animal sacrifices, for example, or their laws for stoning an unruly child, are not applicable today.

So if we can’t use all of it, should we follow any of it?

Yes.

What God Is Like

Enns suggests we just need to realign our expectations of the Bible. He says these three characteristics of the Bible—ancient, ambiguous, and diverse—don’t have to be impediments. These traits can actually be useful to us, as long as we respect them for what they are.

“Rather than providing us with information to be downloaded, the Bible holds out for us an invitation to join an ancient, well-traveled, and sacred quest to know God, the world we live in, and our place in it.”

The Bible is important because it tells us what God is like. It points us to Jesus. It shows us how to seek wisdom and live by it.

That’s why we find hope in the Bible. 

Because we find God there. Not because we regard the Bible as equal with God. Because there aren’t enough words to fully define God, the Word became flesh in Jesus, which we read about in the Bible. Jesus is wisdom personified.

“Wisdom is about the lifelong process of being formed into mature disciples, who wander well along the unscripted pilgrimage of faith, in tune to the all-surrounding thick presence of the Spirit of God in us and in the creation around us.”

~ * ~

“And this wisdom is held out before us in the Bible as a gift of God, not a consolation prize, a Plan B we begrudgingly settle for when the Bible falls short of passing out an answer key, so we know beforehand which ovals to fill in on the standardized test.
A life of pursuing wisdom is Plan A.“

So How Does the Bible Work?

This book won’t be for everyone. Pete Enns challenges traditional ways of thinking. He doesn’t accept status quo interpretations.

But he holds deep respect for the Bible. He finds Jesus there. And Jesus is the life-changer.

“Jesus is not about teaching ‘correct thinking,’ but realigning minds, hearts, and motivations to act well, to live in harmony with the kingdom of heaven.”

But if outside-the-box thinking appeals to you, I recommend you read How the Bible Actually Works. You’ll be encouraged to read the Bible in fresh ways, to find God in it, and to value the wisdom that God leads you to.

How does the Bible actually work? According to Enns,

• By showing us who God is.
• By guiding us toward thinking about God in the here and now.
• By processing our questions through the arena of wisdom.

He Is Wisdom

And so we return to our beginning question. Do you answer a fool (Proverbs 26)? Or not answer a fool? It depends. Proverbs answers both yes and no.

But don’t give up hope on finding answers. God continues to guide us in specific wisdom for our unique circumstances.

That is the reason we can place our hopes in him. He gives wisdom. He gives Jesus.

He always shines a light on today.

“Following Jesus’s teachings is following the path of wisdom—it is your actions, what you say and do to others, not maintaining a hard-line doctrinal stance or turning faith into an intellectual abstraction. And just like Proverbs, Jesus’s teachings are long on casting a vision, but short on scripted details. We have to figure it out every bit as much as we have to work out whether to answer or not answer a fool (Prov. 26:4-5). Following the Sage of Sages takes wisdom and produces wisdom.

The life of faith is a journey alongside the wise master teacher.“

* * *

Pete Enns has a PhD from Harvard, is a Professor of Biblical Studies at Eastern University, the host of The Bible for Normal People podcast (which I love), and the author of two of my favorite books, The Sin of Certainty and The Bible Tells Me So. You can find How the Bible Actually Works here.

My thanks to HarperOne
for the review copy of this book