By Stassi D. Cramm

Brothers and sisters, do not be weary in doing what is right.

Choose Hope: Adult Study Guide, Herald House, pp. 4–5, adapted

Hope is deeply rooted in our faith tradition. More than 200 occurrences of “hope” are found in the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible Updated Edition. The Apostle Paul wrote about hope as one of three Christian virtues, with faith and love (1 Corinthians 13:13 NRSVue). It is one of the four guiding themes of the Christian journey through Advent, along with joy, love, and peace. It is one of the four characteristics of community upheld in the mission statement of Community of Christ: We proclaim Jesus Christ and promote communities of joy, hope, love, and peace.

Like love, hope extends beyond our faith experience. We use it daily to express a range of ideas, from the simple wish for our favorite dessert to the profound desire to survive a life-threatening situation. We often take hope for granted, but it is a crucial aspect of being human, Christian, and maintaining healthy relationships.

Hope is essential to who we are and how we behave. In 1997, researchers James D. Ludema, Timothy B. Wilmot, and Suresh Srivastva conducted an extensive review of hope literature and found that “…hope has been considered a fundamental attribute of humanness and an invaluable resource for the creation of positive knowledge and action in human communities.” They identified four enduring qualities of hope that contribute to its transformative power.Hope is

• Born in relationship.
• Inspired by the conviction that the future is open and can be influenced.
• Sustained through moral dialogue.
• Generative of positive affect and action.

This leads us to consider how we live as hope-filled people. While some are naturally more hopeful, everyone can choose hope. Defining hope helps us understand its significance and how to embody it. One way to define Christian hope is as a spiritual feeling, emotion, and characteristic experienced in one’s being when people:

• Honestly assess current situations.
• Faithfully and prophetically imagine a future more aligned with God’s purposes in and for the world.
• Creatively discern ways to achieve that future.
• Courageously risk change in actions and behaviors to move toward the imagined future.
• Feel supported by God and others as we move forward.

As we explore hope this month, may you choose hope as part of your experience as a faithful disciple. And may this choice bless and magnify your response to living Christ’s mission.

Prayer Phrase

“Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; persevere in prayer” (Romans 12:12).

Deepening Roots

A tree with superficial roots will wither during drought, or severe storms may uproot it. A tree whose roots go deep is stable and draws from deep waters. Imagine yourself as a tree by a river or stream. Sense your roots extending deep into the earth in search of God’s Spirit. Reflect or pray about what you hope to find as your spirit searches for deeper identity in God. 

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.