Real faith and hope

I can’t see a lot of things right now.

There are a lot of unknowns.

We tend to toss around “faith” and “hope” like candy these days.

“I have faith that you can finish that!”

“I hope that goes away soon!”

It’s all fine – often sweet, well-meaning sentiments.

But I’ve been thinking a lot about the real, weighty meanings of those words.

FAITH.

Men’s (and women’s) hearts shall fail them.

People will disappoint, sin, get better and then fall off the tracks again. Even deliberately offend or harm.

And I sometimes fail myself.

So I’ve learned that my faith has to be in my Savior.

Not that my kid will be healed. Not that we’ll meet this goal. Not that I’ll finally figure out how to overcome a weakness.

But my real faith is that my Savior lives, he loves me, and that he will be my advocate with the Father.

HOPE.

We don’t know what’s coming.

Now more than ever.

We don’t know what the future holds. But I can still hope for a bright future for the things that I can control.

The unknowns are countless.

But my hope can keep me looking forward.

Not with blind, naive optimism. But with pure, distinctly chosen faith.

Faith is things which are hoped for and not seen.

I have faith that my Savior will make all things right. I have faith that my Savior will bring me peace. I have faith that my Savior loves me in the ways that I’ve been taught.

I can’t see it.

But I’m not just guessing. I feel its truthfulness in my heart.

Happy Studying!

-Cali Black