HEALING TREE HOPE 1.7

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed (I Peter 2:24).

Current societal interactions do not offer much probability concerning hope. This is the status, at least, of the external reality. It is consoling to recognize, however, that what is seen by the human eye constitutes but a part of what is possible.

Possibility resides in a powerful unseen source, known as God's Holy Spirit. Everyone who places trust in Jesus Christ receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. As partner with God and a gift from God, the Holy Spirit is capable of operating on behalf of God.

One of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to "bubble up" within one creating the prospect of contentment and satisfaction. When this activity occurs, there is a stirring within the physical being which builds confidence of mind and which charges grim outlooks with bright perspectives. The viewpoint which surfaces in this activity is undeniable; and, though a promising outcome is not yet seen, it is an expectation.

One writer makes a case for faith as the substance of things hoped for (Hebrews 11:1); and Paul takes the position that one can bubble up with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13). It seems, then, with faith-filled hope, one need not become hopeless when viewing unfavorable circumstances. Instead, one can depend on the inner resource, the Holy Spirit, for support and anticipate a divine supply of strength to believe beyond the recognizable bleakness.

Rev. Patricia Robinson Williams, Ph. D., D. Min., LMFT

Co-Founder and Clergy Leader, Sacred Scripts, Inc.

Writer, Wisdom Pages Trademark