For the Season of Advent, a return to the four words of anticipation as we prepare for the coming of Christ: Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace
Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. ~ Luke 24:18-21
I sense that the road to Heaven is paved with dashed hopes. ~ Michael Leunig
We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us. ~ Joseph Campbell.
Dashed hopes can lead to dreams realized. Or maybe more accurately, the dreams we didn't know we had.
When I was in high school I found what I thought was my gift: drama. It was the place I felt most myself. It was something I was good at and fed my soul.
When I entered college, I entered as a drama major. Oh, the hopes I had! I was going to take the world by storm!
But then financial difficulties in my family made it necessary for me to work while in school. That's pretty impossible to do as a drama major.
So my dreams were dashed. Oh, but I had hoped...
I ended up majoring in English and loving it.
I ended up getting a corporate job after college and met my husband.
And then I ended up going to Seminary and well, here I am.
My dashed hopes led to a full life. One that I never could have imagined.
Don't let go of your hopes and dreams. But allow that perhaps, even if it seems as if hope has let you down, it just may not be finished with you yet.
Lord, teach me to embrace the new places you take me even when it seems as if my hopes have been dashed. Amen