I have two friends currently battling two aggressive forms of cancer. By textbook standards, the reality is that the odds are stacked against them both. Hope is their means for survival. Hope is what provides an anchor to their souls when the dark waters of fear and discouragement creep in and try to carry them down stream. Hope means never giving up. Hope makes miracles possible.
There are people in life that are unaccustomed to recognizing life's miracles, thus making the idea of hope seem naive and a waste of energy. Famous German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche, fell into this unfortunate category. He even went as far as describing hope as a human evil "that just prolongs the torment of man." This attitude almost leaves me speechless other than I feel compelled to point out that he sounds like a bit of a wet blanket, poor guy.
But I know better and I have news: I've seen miracles and I have hope.
More importantly, I had hope before I witnessed those miracles. It always happens in that order for a reason. If the miracle came first, we would likely dismiss it as coincidence (and I'm sure that this happens often).
If we have the courage to hope and THEN have the miracle come, then we are more likely to recognize it for what it really is--God working in our lives. Our faith is then further strengthened leading us to recognize more miracles which then strengthens our hope, thus becoming cyclical in nature. It's no wonder that hopeful people are happier people. They are training themselves to look ahead for the good and the positive in the face of opposition.
But, only if hope comes first.
During my scripture study this morning, I came across some of my own handwritten notes in the margin of my scriptures regarding miracles. Reading in 1 Nephi 17, we encounter the prophet Nephi once again having to motivate his wayward and doubting brothers who were balking at yet another challenge given to them directly by the hand of God. Nephi, in his relentless attempts to encourage and instill hope, recounts the dealings of God with Israel. Had God not led the Israelites across the Red Sea? Hadn't He provided manna, cover by day, and light by night? Notwithstanding all of these and many additional miracles, these people STILL doubted and still feared the things that God asked for them to do. Perhaps they never recognized the miracles in the first place. Perhaps it was something else.
Here are my margin notes: It just goes to show that miracles lose their power over time. We must continually act in faith.
I rolled that idea around in my head again this morning. Seeing angels, seas parting, and any other miracle of Biblical proportion rarely provides long-lasting belief and conversion for anyone. It seems counter-intuitive, but it happens just that way. Yup, even to you. Think back to a time that you were witness to a miracle, whether small or big. At that very moment you must have thought to yourself, "Yes! God is real! He can do all things! I will never doubt again." But you do and you have. And I'll admit that I'm right there with you and to combat those human weaknesses of forgetfulness and doubt, I am learning to write down those experiences. Sure my kids and grandchildren will benefit, but most importantly, those memories will act as reminders for me when I forget these wise words:
Now, just to prove my point that we are pathetically forgetful creatures, let me share an example that my husband has used to make this point. Years ago in his kamikaze days of youth, he and a cousin and a high school friend flipped and totaled the car that they were driving. Lucky for them, they all walked away with not so much as a scratch. You would think that a momentous event such as this would be forever enblazoned in the minds of those involved. Just ask my husband and his cousin, and neither of them can even agree on the very important detail of who the third person was in the crash that night. Kind of a big detail to forget and yet they have. If they can forget that, then the rest of us can easily forget just about anything else.
Lesson: Go write down those miracles and the feelings that accompanied them because you'll most definitely forget.
If you're finding yourself struggling to grab onto the anchor of hope, let me give you a quick how-to list:
1. Have you taken me up on my daily morning challenge yet? You can find it here and here if you need a refresher. This is the essential list. START HERE!
2. Seek out positive people. Practice their optimism.
3. Get out in nature. Watch a sunrise!
4. Have a prayer giving only thanks for all that you've received.
5. Study the word "hope." Here's a link to a good starting point: HOPE.
6. Focus on being the answer to somebody else's need for a miracle.
7-10. (I hate lists that aren't rounded up to ten! Math OCD.) Remember, remember, remember, and never...
As I kneel side by side next to my youngest each evening, she sweetly asks who she needs to include in her prayers that night. She specifically asks to know how our two friends are doing that are facing cancer. I love how after I give her a vague update and general response, she quizzes me for more details. She wants specifics to pray about having learned for herself that being specific is important. I love even more that she prays each night without relenting-- fully expecting and hoping that her prayers will be answered. I hear that little voice mentioning in name both friends each night. It makes me tear-up in the semi-darkness and I wonder how God could deny her. I don't think He can. I let her optimism and hope anchor my soul as my own doubt sometimes begins to creep in.
Never, never, never give up. There's plenty more adventure just around the corner. Just you wait and see.
~Arianna,
Your Adventure Guide
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