Hope is built
One of the things on my Bucket List that I'm probably not ever going to do is to visit Machu Picchu[1]. It's an ancient Inca city that's about 8,000 feet up on top of a mountain. You have to climb four day and three nights just to get there. But when you get there, what a sight!
I've always been amazed at the buildings. Without using iron or even wheels, they carved and moved massive stones all over the place. The stones fit so perfectly together that you can't even get a piece of paper in between them. I'm lucky if I can even draw a straight line with a ruler.
But more than just building this city on top of a mountain, it's in an earthquake zone. And on top of all that, it's in the middle of a rainforest. So, you'd think that earthquakes or the rain would have destroyed the city long ago. And you'd be right except for two thing.
First, they built strong foundations that go down, deep to the bedrock.
Second, they also built an amazing drainage system that carried away the rain so it wouldn't weaken the foundations.
Yes, they built Machu Picchu one stone at a time. And when it comes to hope, you built it one stone at a time. One thought at a time. One memory at a time.
There is no such thing as instant hope. Or some immediate fix to a life lived without hope. Hopelessness was made in the fires of a life lived with disappointment. One failure at a time. One overwhelming sadness at a time. One negative comment at a time. One undeserved criticism at a time.
That's what makes this promise by Jesus so remarkable.
Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
Matthew 7:24 (NIV)
Building hope doesn't happen by turning on a switch. A totally rebuilt life doesn't just drop out of the sky. It's not like the Star Trek transporter that somehow magically makes you disappear from where you and and instantly appear somewhere else.
We have to be in the process of putting his words into practice. One by one. One decision followed by another. One word after another. One act of kindness after another. One selfless act after another.
Like Machu Picchu, hope is built one stone at a time. So, let's get to work.
Life Changing Questions
So, how are you doing with building hope into your life?
How desperately do you want more hope in your life?
Who's encouraging you to build hope? How are you sticking close to them?
Who's tearing down hope from your life? What are you willing to do to distance yourself from them?
What are you doing to look to Jesus for hope?
CLICK HERE to learn how to receive hope.
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machu_Picchu