It's always good to have hope, no matter the situation. But you can have hope without investing personal emotions. Example: I HOPE (and believe it's possible) that my friend will choose to stop doing drugs, but I recognize I have done all I can, and investing more of myself into it will only drain me and take away parts of me that I could be giving to others.
But if it's something like a promotion at work, it's hard to not get your hopes up about it. Unfortunately, in cases like this I usually just let myself get excited and if it doesn't happen, I deal with it then.
It is never wrong to have hope. On the other hand, is it good to assume that you know someone's intent and motivation when you can't possibly, and to think the worst about things just because they weren't what you wanted?
I think hope in general is a great thing to have, in fact a Christlike attribute, but only if it's hope in something worthwhile or true or deep or lasting or reliable. It seems the way the concept of "hope" is thrown around today is in that it's some kind of magic spell that's going to solve/fix everything, when really most of the time it seems like it's flowery, fancy rhetoric spouted eloquently by people who want public praise or acceptance. One also has to be realistic about hope. I don't truly put my hope in anything of this world, but in those things that are absolutely reliable. Humans are fallible and imperfect, and as such, you can hope for something, but it's kind of foolish to put all hope in someONE. (At least someone mortal.)
Kenna, you make a good point. I guess I'm talking more about a deeper definition of "hope" instead of something like "getting your hopes up," which is kind of inevitable.
Okay, I see your deeper meaning now. But still, I feel it's right to have hope, even in something as imperfect as humanity. Each human is not perfect, but as a human race, I think there is hope.
If you're speaking politically, regardless of ones personal feelings toward political leaders, I think (and hope) that the faithful will pray for our leader(s), and that requires hope.
I agree that the word "hope" is thrown around as a magic spell nowadays. But on the other hand, those who are superfluously using the idea of hope, gain positive feelings when they do so. And it motivates them to try and improve themselves.
So I go back to my original thought: hope, even when it's misunderstood or superficial, is never a bad thing to have.
Just a thought about hope and trust… you can have hope in an ideal or thought, but it takes an entity to have trust. You can't trust an idea, but you can trust a person with an idea and have hope in that person... however if you don't trust a person it is usual not a good idea to have hopes upon their ideas. Also I believe that Hope requires action or else it is just and idle dream. I hope for a free and prosperous America so I will work hard to make myself prosperous and vehemently oppose those people and policies that I believe will destroy the foundations of my prosperity.
It's always good to have hope, no matter the situation. But you can have hope without investing personal emotions. Example: I HOPE (and believe it's possible) that my friend will choose to stop doing drugs, but I recognize I have done all I can, and investing more of myself into it will only drain me and take away parts of me that I could be giving to others.
ReplyDeleteBut if it's something like a promotion at work, it's hard to not get your hopes up about it. Unfortunately, in cases like this I usually just let myself get excited and if it doesn't happen, I deal with it then.
It is never wrong to have hope. On the other hand, is it good to assume that you know someone's intent and motivation when you can't possibly, and to think the worst about things just because they weren't what you wanted?
ReplyDeleteI think hope in general is a great thing to have, in fact a Christlike attribute, but only if it's hope in something worthwhile or true or deep or lasting or reliable. It seems the way the concept of "hope" is thrown around today is in that it's some kind of magic spell that's going to solve/fix everything, when really most of the time it seems like it's flowery, fancy rhetoric spouted eloquently by people who want public praise or acceptance. One also has to be realistic about hope. I don't truly put my hope in anything of this world, but in those things that are absolutely reliable. Humans are fallible and imperfect, and as such, you can hope for something, but it's kind of foolish to put all hope in someONE. (At least someone mortal.)
ReplyDeleteKenna, you make a good point. I guess I'm talking more about a deeper definition of "hope" instead of something like "getting your hopes up," which is kind of inevitable.
Okay, I see your deeper meaning now. But still, I feel it's right to have hope, even in something as imperfect as humanity. Each human is not perfect, but as a human race, I think there is hope.
ReplyDeleteIf you're speaking politically, regardless of ones personal feelings toward political leaders, I think (and hope) that the faithful will pray for our leader(s), and that requires hope.
I agree that the word "hope" is thrown around as a magic spell nowadays. But on the other hand, those who are superfluously using the idea of hope, gain positive feelings when they do so. And it motivates them to try and improve themselves.
So I go back to my original thought: hope, even when it's misunderstood or superficial, is never a bad thing to have.
But TRUST and hope are absolutely mutually exclusive. And one should never fully trust anything or anyone besides God. True? Not True?
ReplyDeleteJust a thought about hope and trust… you can have hope in an ideal or thought, but it takes an entity to have trust. You can't trust an idea, but you can trust a person with an idea and have hope in that person... however if you don't trust a person it is usual not a good idea to have hopes upon their ideas.
ReplyDeleteAlso I believe that Hope requires action or else it is just and idle dream. I hope for a free and prosperous America so I will work hard to make myself prosperous and vehemently oppose those people and policies that I believe will destroy the foundations of my prosperity.