Encourage Others Another sign of having hope is the encouragement we give to others. Let me assure you that if by our words or our actions or by our very being we tell people (or even give the impression), “You can’t do it, you are no good, you’ll never measure up, you’ll never make it,” or (maybe worst of all) “I won’t forgive you” (and all of these things apply doubly to our reaction to ourselves and to our own faults), if that be the case, then we are moving away from God and not toward him, for he gives hope and says, “There is always hope.” Don’t ever say there isn’t. If we, to others or to ourselves, fail to give full measure of hope (remember the scripture, full measure, pressed down and overflowing [see Luke 6:38]), we do less than Jesus would do and less than he would have us do. Now, as in all things, to receive anything good we must give it away. Maybe the reason we don’t have more hope is because we don’t give enough hope to others. If we want more hope, let’s give more hope to others—be more encouraging. The spirit of hope is the Spirit of the Savior. He is always encouraging. Now you might say, “Okay, I believe that. Doctrinally it’s correct, but what does it mean to me? I want more hope. How do I get more? If it’s there, if it is within me (and it is), how do I allow it to shine forth and fill my life and move me forward in this light of hope?” Let me read two verses form the Book of Mormon: And the remission of sins bringeth meekness, and lowliness of heart; and because of meekness and lowliness of heart cometh the visitation of the Holy Ghost, which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love, which love endureth by diligence unto prayer, until the end shall come, when all the saints shall dwell with God. [Moroni 8:26] Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ [which are the scriptures, of course], and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life. [Isn’t that what we are hoping for?] [2 Nephi 31:20] Those two key verses lay out so clearly what we need to do. The key elements are repentance, remission of sins, meekness, lowliness of heart, love of God and of all men, feasting on the words of Christ, studying the scriptures, praying, enduring to the end—quite opposite from some of the success formulas in the world. As near as I can tell, if you don’t have hope, you either don’t have the Holy Ghost or you aren’t listening to him, for it states clearly, “which Comforter filleth with hope and perfect love.”
Posted on: Fri, 18 Oct 2013 05:28:49 +0000
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