“Hope is the melody of the future. Faith is dancing to that melody right now.”- Lysa TerKeurst
“Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. . . . Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”- John 16:20,22 (NIV)
Lysa TerKeurst concludes Chapter 10 of Forgiving What You Can’t Forget as she comments on the most beautiful quote of her counselor, Jim Cress. Certainly, Lysa underscores, she absolutely believes that:
- hope represents the melody of the good yet to come
- faith dances to that melody right now
- forgiveness, even in the midst of the unknowns, provides the way we stay in step with the beat of God’s heart
In addition, Lysa stresses, the more we forgive, we stay right in step with God. No matter what direction our life takes, we know that truth with certitude. The author explains:
“Forgiveness is always healing in the right direction. Even if you don’t know whether to turn left or right, looking up to God is where real hope can be found. That’s where the payoff of forgiveness is the sweetest of all. That’s where our story aligns with His resurrection.”
Above all, Lysa reminds us, part of the script of the eventual resurrection includes forgiveness. In Luke 23:34, Jesus said “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
Therefore, forgiveness results in a tremendous payoff. We must erase all doubt that giving and receiving forgiveness is worth it and so very good. No matter the direction our circumstances take.
From an earthly perspective, our completely logical and reasonable requests seem sensible. But God sees things we can’t possibly see. From His perspective, what we’re asking may not at all reflect our desires. If we could see things from God’s perfect vantage point.
Today’s question: Do you, like Jim Cress and Lysa, believe that hope is the melody of the future? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Amazon Prime deliveries = prayer?”
