Marriage Is A Journey That All Should Be Able To Experience

Via Stillwater Gazette

Hope often gets confused with optimism, but the two are not the same thing. When asked about the future well being of the planet in light of global warming and other environmental threats, one of my favorite professors in seminary used to say, “I am not optimistic, but I am hopeful.”

For him, there was a deeply theological distinction between optimism and hope. In light of the facts, he was not optimistic that environmental catastrophe could be avoided.

However, because of his faith in God and strong belief in God’s ability to transform people’s hearts and lives, he was hopeful a better future could be possible for the planet. Hope, unlike optimism, has as its foundation the reality of God’s presence and activity in the world. For Christians, hope, unlike optimism, is rooted in God’s ability to bring new life into the most difficult of circumstances. God is a God who can bring love and life in the midst of death and destruction.

Read the whole story at Stillwater Gazette

Image Flickr jcoterhals