I’ve been sitting with another quote from Thomas Merton this morning:
“That’s the meaning of hope…to trust in the ultimate goodness of creation. Hope doesn’t mean an anticipation or expectation of a deliverance from an intolerable or oppressive situation or condition.… That’s what most of us are doing most of the time: wanting something other than what is. As I said—true hope is trusting that what we have, where we are, and who we are is more than enough for us as creatures of God.”
I have to admit, that’s not usually how I think about hope.
Most of the time, I think of hope as looking ahead, often coupled with some degree of wishful thinking. I hope the news gets better. I hope life gets a little easier. I hope for … Hope often feels like waiting for something to change.
Merton nudges me to think about hope differently.
He reminds us that hope isn’t just about what’s coming next. It’s about recognizing the good that surrounds us now. It’s about trusting that although everything isn’t perfect, our here and now is enough because God is with us.
That doesn’t mean we stop praying for healing, relief, or change. We should. But hope anchors us in the confidence that God’s grace is already enough for today.
I think that’s what the Apostle Paul learned when he asked God to remove his suffering and relieve his circumstances. Instead of taking it away, God said, “My grace is sufficient for you.”
Not, “Hang on until things get better.” Not, “You’ll understand someday.” But “I am with you, and I am enough.”
It’s the understanding of an amazing aspect of God’s grace. Long before we recognized God, grace was pursuing us. Today, God’s grace is shaping us. Tomorrow, God’s grace will still be leading us.
Maybe that’s what hope looks like.
Not pretending life is easy. Not settling for who we are, where we are, or what we have. Not ignoring reality. But trusting that wherever we find ourselves today, God is there and grace has already arrived.
Perhaps today’s invitation isn’t to ask, “When will this change?” but “How is God meeting me here?”
I have a feeling that’s a question God loves to answer.
Since what we have, where we are, and who we are is enough for God, perhaps it can become enough for us.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for meeting me where I am, not just where I hope to be. Teach me to live with hope rooted in your presence, instead of defining hope as a change in my circumstances. Amen.
