May 15 – Hope Before Belief
If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world. C.S. Lewis
Gregg’s Reflection
Before I ever called myself a Christian, hope was already at work in me. On that first road trip out West, Genie and I camped beneath stars brighter than I’d ever seen, in landscapes that felt ancient and holy. I didn’t yet have the language for it, but something in those places awakened a deep sense that my life had meaning and that I was not alone.
Years later, I could see that it was the Holy Spirit who planted those seeds. The awe I felt in the mountains and the quiet assurance in my heart were early hints of God’s presence. They were not yet belief, but they were hope—a sense that life was larger, deeper, and more beautiful than I had ever imagined.
That’s the mystery of hope: it often comes uninvited, long before our faith is formed. It nudges us toward light when we are still standing in the shadows. Looking back, I realize hope didn’t just accompany my faith journey—it led the way.
Scripture
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:26
Ancient Quotes
Hope is about the possible; despair is about the impossible.
Thomas Aquinas
Modern Quotes
If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.
C.S. Lewis
Journaling Prompts
- When in your life did hope show up before you believed?
- How have moments in nature or beauty stirred hope in you?
- Where do you see signs of God’s Spirit working in your life, even before you recognized Him?
- How might you nurture the seeds of hope in someone else’s life?
👉 Go deeper into this week’s theme:
Read the full Week 20 Reflection: Hope