It is easy to confuse the difference between hope and faith. In 1998, Fortis Films and 20th Century Fox released a movie titled “Hope Floats.” It is a romantic comedy-drama that highlights the story of Birdee Pruitt, played by Sandra Bullock. A Talkshow Host invited Birdee to be a guest under the ruse that she would receive a makeover. In reality, Birdee’s best friend confesses that she is having an affair with her husband on national TV. Following this humiliation, Birdee moves back to her hometown with Bernice, her very resistant daughter. Bernice blames her mother for her father’s affair, and she wants to move back with her dad. When Birdee’s mother dies, her husband shows up at the funeral. However, he has an agenda. He tells Birdee that he wants a divorce, which dashes any hope that Bernice has of reconciliation. Bernice packs to go back with her Dad, but he tells her that he will not take her back with him. He drives away with Bernice crying in the driveway. Of course, in true romantic-comedy fashion, Birdee falls in love with Justin, and eventually, Bernice accepts Justin as her new father figure.
The reason that many people, including myself, enjoy romantic-comedies is that it allows a person to escape their own reality into a story that has a predictable happy ending. It gives us the opportunity to see others overcome the struggles of life. Potentially, the movie may inspire us to have hope for ourselves. Dictionary.com defines hope as follows: “The feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.” Conversely, this same site notes that faith is confidence, trust, or belief in a person or thing that is not based on proof. We need more than just hope. As a Christian, I personally choose to put my faith in Jesus Christ. Yet, when life does not proceed as we hope, it is easy to wonder where God is and why God didn’t intervene on my behalf.
Where is God when I suffer?
One month ago, Hurricane Florence invaded eastern North Carolina. This “storm of a lifetime” prompted authorities in eighteen counties to order an evacuation. Some chose to leave, and some chose to stay. Many who stayed required rescue. Thirty-nine North Carolinians, unfortunately, lost their lives due to the impact of the storm. Everyone hoped that the storm would turn around and go back out to sea. Some prayed in faith that God would protect them from the storm’s destruction. Some begged God to intervene in a way that would cause the storm to dissipate harmlessly. When God does not respond in the way that we hope, we have an opportunity to grow our faith.
Dr. Peter Kuzmic (@PeterKuzmic) is a professor at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. He is “an authority on a Christian response to Marxism and Christian ministry in post-Communist context” (https://www.gordonconwell.edu/ockenga/missions/Missions-Faculty.cfm). As a native of Slovenia and a citizen of Croatia, Dr. Kuzmic must understand the process of maintaining faith in the midst of experiences when God has not intervened in the way that Christians would desire. Dr. Kuzmic said “Hope is the ability to hear the music of the future. Faith is the courage to dance to it in the present.”
Why is faith so important?
I believe that God purposefully created the world in such a way that we could not prove the existence of God. Therefore, faith is required in order to relate to God. God’s purpose in creation was to have a relationship with us. If we could prove the existence and power of God, then everyone would want to have a relationship with God. However, would we genuinely want a relationship with God, or just want to treat God like a heavenly Santa Claus that always provides what we want? Oftentimes Christians misquote 1st Corinthians 10:13. They say “God will not put more on you than you can handle.” You will not be tempted beyond what you can bear is what the Bible actually states. If we never had a problem that we could not solve, then how would we experience the need for God, the power of God, or the experience of peace when we know God intervened. Faith or belief in the person of God is the bridge that creates this relationship.
Has your hope negatively influenced your faith?
When God does not intervene as we would hope, your faith is prompted with the following questions: Jesus said “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So, don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27 NLT). Do you believe him? Alternatively, have you allowed your hope to negatively influence your faith because God does not always create the things for which you hope into your reality? The disciples of Jesus were all executed for their faith, with the exception of John. The Roman authorities tried to execute John by putting him in a large pot of boiling oil. When the boiling oil did not harm him, they banished him to the island of Patmos. They didn’t know what else to do with him. Why was John spared injury and death when the other disciples died? When you think about your own suffering, is your faith contingent on God protecting you from suffering?
If God does not intervene, what do I do now?
As those of us here in eastern North Carolina continue to recover from the devastation left by hurricane Florence, let’s remember that God has not promised us a life that follows the plot of a romantic comedy. Rather, let’s remember that Jesus left the joy and peace of heaven to come to our earth. He didn’t hang out with the religious people. Rather he went to the people who were suffering. Let’s follow his example. I believe that ministering to the hurting and suffering people in our world is exactly where we will continue to find Jesus. Highlighting Dr. Kuzmic’s quote, let’s dance by serving others in the name of Jesus. Hope for the outcome we wanted may fade, but faith is the key to peace that passes all understanding.
For more information about Rev. R. David Morrow LMFT, click here.