The Hope of Spring

By Doug Knepp, CIO

March is here, and with it comes the hope of spring! We expect the cold, dreary days of winter to be replaced with warmer winds and bright flowers. Why does that encourage us? How can something in the future bring us joy today?

That is the beauty of hope! Hope is the expectation and desire for something to happen. 

Desire + Expectation = Happiness

Contrast that with wishful thinking. Wishing is wanting something that probably won’t happen: the desire without the expectation. 

Desire – Expectation = Discouragement

As we consider spring, what gives us the expectation that things will be better? Isn’t it our past experiences? We have confidence because spring has never failed to follow winter.

But beyond the weather, many seasons of our life can discourage us and press us down.  We have faced political turmoil, the loss of loved ones, sickness, economic uncertainty, and many other “winter” seasons in the past year.

But experience tells us that these are only seasons – a new season will come!

Regardless of the season of this life, we can have a promise of a better season to come. God has given us a plan of salvation through his son, Jesus Christ. If we take advantage of this plan, we can enjoy hope, no matter what comes our way in this life. And we have confidence in this promise because God has never failed. 

Let’s be purpose driven, keeping an eternal, hopeful view.