Hope
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
The hope you have in your heart right now is a precious thing. Deep inside of you, you believe in the goodness of God and His great love for you. You know great things are in store for you. You smile at the beauty all around you, and you simply love to be alive. You believe the best about your circumstances, and every moment shimmers with possibility.
Or not.
Instead of hope, the cynicism growing inside of you is a toxic, terrible thing. Cynicism is the dominant philosophy of the young adult heart. The cynic says, “What’s the use? This is a lie. People are terrible hypocrites. The world is a terrible place.” The cynic is negative, bitter, hopeless, and angry. The cynic feels that nothing will work out, that everything’s fake, pointless, and misled.
The cynic knows better than anyone; she’s arrogant and suspicious. She delights in exposing everyone’s false motives. A true cynic will always doubt the authority of God’s word. The cynic thinks the pastor’s delusional, the Bible is a myth, and Jesus is for weaklings. Faith, hope, and love are naïve and ignorant to the cynic. She’s frustrated, disappointed, disillusioned, and most of all, hopeless. She’s always a victim, always being betrayed, and always rolling her eyes, sighing, and hiding away from anything joyful, wonderful, or mystical. It’s all just fake to the cynic.
Don’t go there. Say no to it. Remember the truth—the wonderful truth about Jesus and let hope and joy fill your life. This very moment, ask the Holy Spirit to fill you with hope again. Ask God to give you the power to rediscover beauty and joy. It’s yours for the taking. Throw off cynicism like a blanket that’s suffocating you.
The cynic’s future is loneliness and despair. The hope-filled believer’s future is joy, peace, and love.
When did cynicism take root in you? Ask God to restore to you the joy of your salvation and fill you with hope today.