Looking To The Future

When a person says that he or she hopes that something will happen, this might convey that the person simply prefers that this will happen and wants it to, or it might convey an expectation, whether based in reason or emotion or some assumption.  With legitimate hope a person can find the inner strength to move forward despite great trials, but without hope a person might be submerged in overwhelming despair.  Hope is a necessity when it comes to navigating trials in a growth-oriented and peace-oriented way.

If someone thinks that in the end a situation will bring some sort of joy or release, that person might be able to endure practically anything.  Knowing that something will end or expecting something to end can instill a drive to press onward, to persist, to even find some sort of sense of fulfillment or happiness in the midst of difficulty.  But without hope, a person can wither away in a fierce trial.  Hope is a thing that can truly empower.  And what hope someone has is inherently connected with what worldview that person affirms.

In an earlier post I described how "Time can enable a healing of inner wounds that, in the present while enduring the brunt of a trial, might seem like they will never heal, or even cannot.  With time pain can leave, and minds can find peace" [1].  Yes, time can lessen pain and allow someone to emotionally mend.  But a person's worldview will directly affect his or her ability and willingness to endure a trial.  Without a framework that gives a basis for hope, legitimate hope will stay an elusive thing, pursued but unobtainable.  Legitimate hope, of course, is rooted in far more than an assumption or preference; it is propped up by certainty based in knowledge of reality.  It enables a person to look to the future without despair, or at least with a sense of justified optimism.

How one handles difficulties will be determined by what worldview is held and why that worldview is held.  A person with hope rooted in an accurate worldview held for sound reasons has something to cling to, something to support him or her during periods of suffering--something other than a feeling or preference, something demonstrable and solid.  A thing is good or evil in itself, not based on its consequences.  Rationality is obligatory on the Christian worldview even if it is never used to for this purpose (Proverbs 19:2, 1 Thessalonians 5:21, 1 Peter 3:15).  But a benefit of applying thorough rationality is knowledge that one's worldview is either true or seemingly probable, which can truly amplify one's resolve to endure, and can give an actual foundation for hope about the future.

When a person is in a trial, especially one that emotionally suffocates that person, he or she will likely either affirm or reveal what his or her actual beliefs are.  And depending on the accuracy and verifiability of those beliefs, a measure of legitimate hope can be found.  Legitimate hope gives a rational, empowering foundation for looking to the future with a sense of peace and acceptance.


[1].  https://thechristianrationalist.blogspot.com/2018/02/growth-through-trials.html