I have loved all of these posts! Thank you so much for taking the time to share them. We have "Hope without guarantees" while facing the battles of this life, because we do have one hope that is guaranteed: that the ultimate battle is won. Love how you worded it: "God will never abandon us, will turn all things together for our good—even our defeat—and one day will return and remake this world into something far more beautiful and wonderful than we can possibly imagine." This was encouraging in the truest sense—makes me feel more courageous!
Undoubtedly, the Land of Shadow is a spiritual descent of the Slough of Despond in John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress", whose Christian ethics are far more explicit.
Love this, I have been facing hopelessness lately and this has encouraged me! The concept of "Hope without guarantees" reminds me of the end of Habakkuk.
"[17] Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the flocks disappear from the pen and there are no herds in the stalls, [18] yet I will celebrate in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation! [19] The Lord my Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights! For the choir director: on stringed instruments."
-Habakkuk 3:17-19 (CSB)
Habakkuk was pretty much guaranteed to witness and experience suffering as God told him about the coming judgement of Israel. However he chose to believe in the justice and faithfulness of God, that he would have the ultimate victory for His people. Wonderful stuff, God bless!
About naive optimism vs. hope against hope - its kind of like Jesus says "become like children", not "stay like children". One has to go through challenges of adulthood first.
I have loved all of these posts! Thank you so much for taking the time to share them. We have "Hope without guarantees" while facing the battles of this life, because we do have one hope that is guaranteed: that the ultimate battle is won. Love how you worded it: "God will never abandon us, will turn all things together for our good—even our defeat—and one day will return and remake this world into something far more beautiful and wonderful than we can possibly imagine." This was encouraging in the truest sense—makes me feel more courageous!
Thank you, Hannah! Writing about something you love is a joy in of itself, but it sure is sweet when a shaft of light hits a reader as well.
Excellent series, I will return to read it often.
Undoubtedly, the Land of Shadow is a spiritual descent of the Slough of Despond in John Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress", whose Christian ethics are far more explicit.
This one was incredible!
Love this, I have been facing hopelessness lately and this has encouraged me! The concept of "Hope without guarantees" reminds me of the end of Habakkuk.
"[17] Though the fig tree does not bud and there is no fruit on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though the flocks disappear from the pen and there are no herds in the stalls, [18] yet I will celebrate in the Lord; I will rejoice in the God of my salvation! [19] The Lord my Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like those of a deer and enables me to walk on mountain heights! For the choir director: on stringed instruments."
-Habakkuk 3:17-19 (CSB)
Habakkuk was pretty much guaranteed to witness and experience suffering as God told him about the coming judgement of Israel. However he chose to believe in the justice and faithfulness of God, that he would have the ultimate victory for His people. Wonderful stuff, God bless!
So good. Thanks, man!
About naive optimism vs. hope against hope - its kind of like Jesus says "become like children", not "stay like children". One has to go through challenges of adulthood first.