Hope vs Faith

Click here to listen to today’s Daily Power Prayer for Trust!:

Have you ever thought about the difference between hope and faith? It’s really worth considering. If you’re going on a trip and you tell me about it before you leave – which of these two statements would you rather hear me say:

“I trust you’ll have a safe journey.”

“I hope you have a safe journey.”

For sure, I’d rather hear someone say they “trust” I’ll have a safe journey. When we’re living in faith we place our trust in the Divine. Hope is a kind of wish or possibly even a fantasy. For some people hope can be like a drug.

One teacher I’ve learned a lot from is Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh. He is such a beautiful teacher of mindfulness and his book Peace is Every Step is one of the best books I’ve ever read and studied. I go back to it again and again. In this wonderful book he has an essay entitled “Hope as an Obstacle,” in which he shares:

“Since we cling to our hope in the future, we do not focus our engeries and capabilities on the present moment. We use hope to believe something better will happen in the future, that we will arrive at peace, or the Kingdom of God. Hope becomes a kind of obstacle. If you can refrain from hoping you can bring yourself entirely into the present moment and discover the joy that is already there. Enlightenment, peace and joy will not be granted by someone else. The well is within us, and if we dig deeply in the present moment, the water will spring forth.”

I encourage you to look at where in your life you are waiting in hope, in expectation, wishing for something better rather than seeking the Kingdom, which is within, in the present moment. We cannot enjoy peace in the future. Peace is now. If we can be satisfied with hoping then we may never seek the Kingdom. Will you consider giving up hoping and wishing for faith and trust?

If you are willing, all else will be added unto you!

Affirmation:

I trust in God.