A common saying is, “Hold onto hope,” but I can’t. The concept seems nebulous; it lacks foundation; I have nothing upon which to rest. Such hope sputters. It flickers in and out of being and disappears when looked at directly. It is no hope at all.
Thus, I don’t cling to it and instead hold onto truth. Truth never changes. It stands firm from before the beginning to after the end. Truth makes me steadfast, and it—not hope itself—gives hope.
It does eventually anyway. When I am discouraged or sad or exhausted, hope is a struggle. I am at the bottom of a well with no way out. Hope vanishes.
However, all is not lost. Truth remains. I read and speak God’s words over and over again, even when I doubt. His words take root and sprout in my heart, head, and hands. His statements, not how I feel or think, define me.
I slowly come into alignment with what he says about who he is and who I am. I’m still at the bottom of the well, but I see a glimmer of sun above. Rescue may not come any time soon—some wells last a long time, if not a lifetime—but God’s truth makes me strong.
I endure. His words and promises give me a reason to write and draw and do good work even when those things seem empty and futile. His truth blossoms into hope, and it is an undefeatable for it is anchored in the One who is trustworthy and all things glorious and good.
Perhaps, then, I should say, “Hold onto hope, but hold onto God’s truth first.”
Image: Weldon Kennedy (Creative Commons)