ADVENT HOPE: FROM DREADING TO DREAMING

HOPE MAKES THE DIFFERENCE IN OUR ANTICIPATION
Tuesday, November 29th

Dread: to fear greatly, to feel extreme reluctance to meet or face

Dream: to have a dream of (a desired goal or purpose); to consider a possibility, imagine

During my time with cancer, each additional chemotherapy infusion became more difficult as the side effects worsened and my appetite, stamina, and immunity waned. My veins became rubbery, so the nurses were increasingly challenged to find a good vein for the infusion. Each week, I became worried about my worsening side effects and doubtful that my veins would cooperate.

I began to dread each next infusion.

But one day, the thought came to me that each infusion would mean I had one less remaining. I then named my new countdown, “One Day Closer to Better!” as I began dreaming of the day when I would have no more infusions. I envisioned a future when I would feel healthy and strong again, when I would regain my appetite and stamina as well as my enjoyment of life. With the better end in mind, I could persevere. My dreaming helped to counteract my dreading.

This sense of dread can come over us each time we feel anxious about our future. When we become concerned by distressing global or national news, threats of potential difficulties, or challenging personal trials, any of these worrisome issues can contribute to a feeling of dread. We then begin to anticipate the future with fear and reluctance.

Advent Hope can make the difference in our anticipation; the Hope we have in Christ can turn our dreading into dreaming.

Our Advent Hope arises because, in Jesus, we have seen how God always works to bring about resurrection: the new life, the happy ending, and one day, the ideal vision and purpose for all humanity.

Advent Hope not only helps us to envision God’s beautiful purposes, but also inspires us to participate in these purposes. We can dream of a better world and a better day, then place our focus and energy toward these ideal dreams instead of our reasons for dread. Our dread will dissipate with every small step we take toward our dream.

We can anticipate our future with the Advent Hope given to us through this promise of new life and resurrection, the Hope that replaces our dread with God’s dream. Advent Hope can then inspire us to pursue and contribute to God’s good and sacred purposes, as our dreading turns into dreaming.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2 NRSVUE)

Definitions are from https://www.merriam-webster.com/
Bible verse found at https://www.biblegateway.com/
Photo by Karen