If I were
to break down the human mind, as I have come to know, I must admit that the
desire to hope, in this or that, whether corporeal or ethereal, rests innately
at the core of the psyche. The absence
of hope in the human psyche belongs to the distressing clutch of depression. Or, perhaps, even it is the very hope we once
had, in something or someone, that left us abandoned to the devastating
hauntings of depression. Even so, as we
would soon discover, found deep at the roots, within the entrapment of
depression, still remains an alluring desire to find hope. Nevertheless, hope
subsists within the psyche, even when we wish not to know of hope. Where does this desire to hope come
from? Why does hope play such a pivotal
role in the satisfaction of the heart? Most imperatively, is there anything
worth placing our hope in that will not leave us in the end deprived?
If we were
to examine the nuanced reasoning behind our every motive and course of action,
it is my conclusion that we would inevitably find subtle hints of hope embedded
in even the simplest of decisions. We hope for success. We hope for
acceptance. We hope for rewards. We hope for contentment. We hope for victory.
We hope to survive.
Now, to
what we put our hope in; that is precisely what makes or breaks us. Again, as I said before, even in the simplest
of things, we put our hope. For
instance, I am a fanatic of the MLB team, the Seattle Mariners. I, unfortunately for my sake, put my hope in
the desire for them to win. Now, if any
of my readers know of the Seattle Mariners, they know that it is not often that
they win a ball game. I have found that when I watch their games religiously,
day to day, I cannot help but feel some form of depression. You see, I invested my time into knowing the
team all too well: the players, their strengths and weaknesses, and the
opponents of the day. Consciously, I
knew there was minimal hope for them to win.
However, I invested so much of my time into the team, so I still managed
to conjure up a hope for them to succeed in their endeavors. Pathetic, I know. Nonetheless, this is the predicament of the
human psyche. We are compelled to hope; and whether we like it or not, our hope
will soon rest in something or someone.
More prominently, we are all victim to placing our hope
into future goals, achievements and career paths. At an early age, we are taught to reach for
the stars; anything is possible if you put your mind to it! Without realizing it, we are being subconsciously
conditioned by those who have preceded us in their successes and failures. Those that have failed hope to witness their
youth succeed in what they could not. Coincidently, those who have managed
“success” hope for their youth to find success in a more satisfying form. How so?
Because their hope of success has been accomplished, they now know not
what to hope for. Nevertheless, they lose
their hope, because they have been led astray by the very thing that intends to
satisfy a longing heart. Hope. Although
vestiges of hope will again subsist within the psyche, it will be perpetually
left unsatisfied, due to the conditioned hope of things worldly[1].
C.S. Lewis
once said, “Most people, if they had really learned to look into their own
hearts, would know that they do want, and want acutely, something that cannot
be had in this world. There are all sorts of things in this world that offer to
give it to you, but they never quite keep their promise”.
Now, to where does this desire for hope originate from? Well, it seems as though material things
leave us dissatisfied with ourselves and life itself, so would it not make
since that something eternal is the answer?
Intriguingly, within the very definition of hope lies the concept of
things eternal, long lasting. In
answering things eternal, I have found that the Christian hope for
reconciliation and redemption provides the satisfaction the heart longs for.
Therefore, the desire to hope originates from being created in the image of
God. In creating the world, God knew the
course His created order would take in the fall, yet His hope in the knowledge
of His plan of redemption and reconciliation brought Him great joy in His
creation.
If this knowledge of truth in the hope of things to come
satisfies the creator of the universe, would it not make since that it would
satisfy us, being created in His image?
For it is said, “Blessed
be the God and Father of Our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy,
he has caused us to be born again, to a living hope through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ from the dead.” (1 Peter 1:3)
In
referring back to the imagery that Lewis presents, he immediately reminds me of
the story of the Women at the Well.
In this story Jesus is asking a Samaritan woman for a drink of water from a
well, while proceeding to tell her of his life giving truth.
In response to the woman, Jesus says this, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be
thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never
be thirsty again. The water that I will
give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life”.
“A Spring of water within me!”
“And I will never be thirsty again!” Sounds incredible! I suppose it would be
ridiculous of her to not be the slightest bit intrigued by this whimsical
proposition. A spring of water flowing within?
To never have to thirst again? I don’t know about you, but I’m sold. I want to taste of this spring! Where can I
find it?
“Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on thegrace to be
brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1Peter 1:13)
You see, this is a parable Jesus is
extending to the woman. By drinking
water from the well, she experiences spurts of satisfaction and quenched
thirst. However, she is never truly
satisfied, because, in time, she has to again make that long trek out to the
well for more water that will only again quench her thirst for a short while. Now, Jesus says, “place your hope in me” and
you will never be thirsty again. In other words, you will find joy in His
grace.
Now, this does not mean that
suddenly life becomes “peaches and roses”. No, we are human. Let’s accept this.
We are broken. We cannot live out the grace of God in His Kingdom in its completeness,
nor find perfection in ourselves. To
expect such a thing would be missing the gospel message. However, the gospel
does tell us that there will come a day that everything is restored, redeemed
and brought back to life. Now this, this is worth placing your hope in. For I am convinced that to put your hope His
grace and the knowledge of His Kingdom at hand will never leave you thirsty. I have found joy.
