By Larissa D’Souza –
A group of frogs were travelling through the woods; two of them fell into a deep pit. The other frogs crowded around the pit and saw how deep it was and told the two frogs that there was no hope left for them. However, the two frogs decided to ignore what the others were saying and they proceeded to try and jump out of the pit. Despite their efforts, the group of frogs at the top of the pit were still saying that they should just give up and that they would never make it out.
Eventually, one of the frogs took heed to what the others were saying and he gave up, falling down to his death. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, “Did you not hear us?” The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.
Similarly, like the story mentioned above; people’s words can have a big effect on our lives. Think about what you say before it comes out of your mouth. It might just be the difference between life and death. So have Hope in God.
As long as we have God, we have Hope. When you are discouraged, when your heart is sad, you should put your hope in God. With God Life is an endless hope. Without God, Life is a hopeless end. Love gives you hope; hope builds faith; faith brings you closer to God. Keep loving, keep hoping and always have faith in God. Pray to God that when you lose hope because your plans have come to nothing, then ask the Lord to help you remember that his love is always greater than your disappointments and his plans for your Life are always better than your dreams.
What gives you the most hope everyday is God’s grace; knowing that his grace is going to give you the strength for whatever you face, knowing that nothing is a surprise to God. Don’t be sad, because God sends hope in the most desperate moments. Don’t forget the heaviest rains come out of the darkest clouds.
Most children have Hope; it’s their basic disposition unless adults do something to threaten it. Some people have to struggle for their hope while others seem to have it so easily, that’s called INBORN HOPE. A person with cancer who determinedly chooses to believe that treatment will be successful no matter the current outlook. It’s a parent’s right to hope for a child, even if things don’t look good at the moment. CHOSEN HOPE is a life stance.
Sometimes another person sees causes for hope in your life more easily than you can. If the person is honest and trustworthy, you can borrow their confidence in you, and their hope for you, that’s called BORROWED HOPE. When a daunting challenge or crisis crashes into our life, we can take a bargainers’ position. This position says, “If I do this, then that will happen,” There’s nothing wrong with BARGAINERS’ HOPE, it’s human nature and often a first response to something really hard.
UNREALISTIC HOPE is a kind of hope belongs to teenagers who believe they could be the next Michael Jordan of basketball. Or the hope created by the promise of a certain cereal will help you lose weight and keep it off for years to come. You’re hoping for things that could happen, but it’s not probable. FALSE HOPE is like chain letters promising money if you send them along. And everyday examples of false hope, such as the hope that one person, whether friend or spouse, can meet all your needs and make you happy.
Sometimes we ask God for help and God gives us Hope, not because it’s different, but it’s the same. Hope is a passion for what’s possible. Once you chose Hope, anything is possible. God is the only one who can make the valley of trouble to a door of Hope (Hosea2:15).
Larissa D’souza is currently studying at Davar’s, but has been a working professional as a Project Coordinator in Sports; and in Travel, Tourism and Banking. Reading books, watching football, listening to music and writing in her spare time are things that Larissa loves to do. She has never missed saying her Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet every day.