Article December 27, 2004 Issue

HOPE ON THE RISE

By Margaret Rogers

A friend called me recently with bleak news. She had received an unfavorable medical diagnosis, and, on top of that, her marriage was in trouble. Like a climber losing hold on a slippery bank, she was grasping for hope.

I did the only thing that came to me, which was to assure her with as much conviction as I could that God's love was holding her and would not fail.

Then she said, "May I ask you a personal question?" She wanted to know how I got my conviction and whether I'd seen great examples of God's power in my life. The Bible says to be always ready to answer anyone who asks you the reason for your hope (see I Pet. 3:15). And it was on the tip of my tongue to say that I'd seen remarkable recoveries from serious illness through prayer, as well as cases of better relationships restored. But something made me pause, and a different answer came out. I told her that preserving hope is something I have to work at every day, and that affirming God's power and goodness often—even when things look bleak—helps me feel more hopeful and convinced of it.