I didn’t expect to find hope when the words were flying and the tempers flaring. But hope has a way of showing up in the most unlikely places.
I was hovering, trying to do damage control while my daughters argued. I don’t even remember what they were fighting about. I do remember that they were both wounded, and I knew I couldn’t fix it for them.
They sat across from each other, glaring, arms crossed, locked in a stubborn standoff. Suddenly real words, words with feelings attached, began flowing and the walls crumbled.
One of my girls broke down, and I watched her sister reach out to comfort her. No apology had been offered at this point and it would have been easier for her to keep her arms crossed and her heart closed.
But she didn’t.
I was overwhelmed to see my girl reach through her hurt to comfort the one who hurt her. Through her action she said My love for you is greater than your offense toward me.
And that gesture, in that moment, was a spark of hope.
Sparks of hope are vital in the fight for hope because they awaken a quiet, fierce strength inside of us hope warriors. A spark of hope stirs our courage and reminds us that hope is worth fighting for.
Sparks of hope happen all around us, tucked into unsuspecting moments. The question is, Do we see them?
It could be a beautiful sunset.
Or a Bible verse on a drive through window.
It could be a word.
Or it could be in the way love responds to hurt.
Each of us fight battles as we live, day-by-day, in this broken world. If we keep our eyes on the battle we are sure to grow weary. But when we recognize the sparks of hope around us, we find rest in the midst of our battle.
As we fight for hope, we strengthen our “fighting for hope” muscles and sharpen our eyesight so that we can see and celebrate the sparks of hope all around us. When we celebrate these moments, we remind those around us to keep fighting for hope. And it goes on from there.
What sparks of hope have you seen lately? I’d love to know!