June, in my opinion, is a month that symbolizes "hope." Kids have just graduated from high school or college and are now "young adults" with a bright, hopeful future ahead of them. June is also when many weddings take place, and the young couple are wished a bright, hopeful future. Our church library has many inspirational books. I really liked this quote from Hope Will Light Your Way:
If you can look at the sunset and smile, then you still have hope. If you can see the good in other people, then you still have hope. If you meet new people with a trace of excitement and optimism, then you still have hope. If you still give people the benefit of the doubt, then you still have hope. If the suffering in others still fills you with pain, then you still have hope. If you still watch love stories or want endings to be happy, then you still have hope. If you can look at the past and smile, then you still have hope. If you still offer your hand of friendship to those who have touched your life, then you still have hope. If you refuse to let a friendship die or accept that it must end, then you still have very much hope . . . Hope sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.
Author Unknown
I find that these verses from Psalm 33 help me to feel there is hope in times of trouble.
20 Our soul waits for the LORD;
he is our help and shield.
21 Our heart is glad in him
because we trust in his holy name.
22 Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,
even as we hope in you. (NRSVUE)
Here are some verses from Romans 5 that show hope can be a strong part of our character.
1 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3 And not only that, but we also boast in our afflictions, knowing that affliction produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. Romans 5:1-5 (NRSVUE)
Thinking about the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas makes me feel hopeless and I am sure that the town of Uvalde and the families of the students killed probably feel hopeless. The suffering of others still fills me with pain. Let us hope in the Lord and hope the people in Uvalde receive God's love as they grieve their loss.
--Tina
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