The other day I was searching the ‘net and came across a website (despair.com) which sells de-motivational posters. I am familiar with the motivational posters which have been sold for years and have become a common feature in workplaces, so I was interested in seeing the posters. I know I have a slightly twisted sense of humor, so I wasn’t entirely surprised when the posters and the slogans they displayed caused me to laugh so hard I was sometimes in tear as I sat in one of my favorite Starbucks. One of my favorite posters was on DEFEAT: For every winner, there are dozens of losers. Odds are you're one of them. Another fav was on PERSPECTIVE: Less is more. Unless you're standing next to the one with more. Then less just looks pathetic.
My experience with looking at the de-motivational posters yesterday got me thinking about what motivates me. First of all, I’ve been blessed to have what I call a “hope chip.” I believe it’s a combination of a grace-gift from God and the influence of my amazing mother. Throughout my life, even when going through extremely difficult experiences or seasons, I’ve been able to maintain a high level of hope. It doesn’t mean I don’t have times of despair or those times when it seems like all hope is lost, but I rarely get stuck there. If I do have one of those days, I wake up the next morning renewed and with hope restored. If you don’t have a “hope chip” please don’t get mad at me, I am sure God has given you special graces as well. I call it a grace-gift because I know it’s not me, it’s the way God works in and through my life. It’s part of how he’s equipped me to serve others.
I believe hope is a great motivator and so very important in our life. Proverbs 13:12 (NIV) says, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.” I see hope connecting with our choice to believe. Hope believes better days are ahead. Hope believes the best is yet to come. Hope believes God’s help is on the way. Hope believes!
Where does my hope [help] come from? Here’s what Psalm 121 in the beautifully poetic King James Version says: “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2 My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. 3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber . 4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep . 5 The LORD is thy keeper : the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. 6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. 8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.”
Whatever you’re dealing with today, no matter how dark and difficult, hold on to hope!
No comments:
Post a Comment