Hope or Faith?

Do you have a hope?
Do you hope that one of these days, you will strike Lottery? Don't you hope for a promotion at work? Or hope for a news of 20% pay increment company-wide? Don't you hope to top the class in your biology class test or come in first in the school's annual Maths and Science Quiz?

Or do you think its better to have faith?

I always thought that having hope is the first step to success. Being able to dream of big things and dare to hope for it opens your heart to receive the success that might follow. And just recently, my theory was proven wrong.

Hope isn't all. In fact, hope doesn't mean that much afterall. Maybe hope is somewhat still needed to sustain a dream, but the most important factor that draws us closer to sweet success is none other than faith.

I had this bad experience just recently that I wanted to share it with everyone here.

Its more of a known fact that I have been fighting hard to get the "good" grades that I was hoping for. All along, I knew I didn't enjoy much of what I was doing, I was only hoping to prove myself. It became so bad, so bad that it started to spawn into an uncontrollable yearning to win myself. I was hurt because of that. In a recent test, I suffered a humilating defeat. I knew I had done my best.. but why are there still regrets?

All along my game, I was sustaining on hope. The hope to do really well. But I didn't know that the faith wasn't there. I thot I was self-sufficient. But I was wrong. The defeat hit me so hard. I was really depressed. I couldn't get to work ever since then. I lost hope.

I think its really easy to go off track. Well, I used to do pretty well earlier on in the session because of the presence of faith. But then success has this over-powering control in my heart that everything became mere hope. I lost my footing and let hope took over. I wouldn't say hope is a bad thing. It is good till some extend, but to get further in life, you got to have faith(and god of cos).

Why am I saying that faith is better than hope?
Let me try to explain the two words according to my own understanding. I may be wrong thou, humans do err... come on! :)

Hope is more of a human desire. A desire for something to be done? something to happen? For example: "I hope to get into the top management of my company" or "I hope to get a hunky boyfriend within 10 days". With hope comes expectations. With expectations come dissapointment.

While Faith is more of a trust in God. A trust and believe in him that everything will go the way he planned it to be. When there is faith, there wouldn't be doubt.

And getting back to my question again.. Why faith is better than hope?

Simply because man fail, but not god (isn't it awesome). That goes to say that hope may fail to get you to your desired destination, but faith brings you a long way.

I remember a pastor once said that our relationship with God is like an equation. You have got to fulfil your half of the equation before God will make the other half come true. So I guess, Faith in this case becomes the key variable. If "faith=0", no matter what numbers we multiply with it, we will still get 0, needless to say, balancing the equation would yield a 0 on the other side of the equation.
Hence the expression (0=0) ----> expressionless face.

I asked myself, since I believe in God, why is he putting me thru all these?
Simply because of his love for me. That goes for just anyone and everyone else. Every test that he put us thru is a step forward.. closer to him. At times of struggle, do you think He will forsake you? No, so be faithful and trust Jesus. Just like what mummy always tell me, Just do your best, and leave the rest to God.

Last sunday as i broke down and cried out to God.. Sally was there to pray for me. Thru her, God has send yet another important message to me..
"look down and just focus on putting the next foot forward. Do not look at your friends and compare with anybody. It is your own game. All you have to do is put the next foot forward, think about the very next step, do not think of how far more to go or whether you can do it or not. Recall those moments of victory you had? relive them once more".

Remember my previous blog was asking if I'm hearing from God.
Answer is, I close my heart from him by not having faith. Faith will bring about open communication. Only then, can he show you his way.

I know this test is not easy, but I am sure, with enough faith, I will clear the test. Only when I can overcome this test will I be ready for my next test to come.
(In any case if you are still unsure of what my test is, its about being able to be not over-concern about my grades)

I think the key points being highlighted to me in this current test is to be patient and be faithful. Trust myself and do my best. Don't you agree?

So, after reading all these, are you still hoping for anything?
Or would you rather have faith?

Alot of things here have been pieced together by me, I can only assure they are correct at the time of entry. Please feel free to correct my thots if you ever think they are so wrong.

Acknowledgement: Bits of the entry comes from conversation or mails with some great people like mummy and sally and of cos my pastors in Gateway City Church.