Be a source of HOPE
“People living with persisting mental illness have often lost hope about a better future. Their families have lost hope and they say their community holds little hope for them. If there was one thing I would ask of the church it would be to become purveyors of hope!”
Social worker
A purveyor is a person who supplies, brings, is a vendor, or source of a supply. A purveyor of HOPE is someone who tells, tattles, spreads, transmits, whispers, and even gossips HOPE. It’s up to all of us as Christians to be the purveyors of hope in our community!
‘…we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls‘
Hebrews 6:18-19 NLT
The dictionary says hope can be a noun or a verb. As a noun it is the expectation that a particular thing will happen, and as a verb it is defined as wanting something to happen. In Scripture hope is the confident expectation that God will fulfill His promises
Read more in article: Hope in expression
So how can we be bringers of hope in a world that craves real hope?
Here’s two ways Christians can be purveyors of hope
- Be a loving community that fosters inclusive relationships
- Be full of hope
Hope is ignited within people via relationships. Hope is contagious. When you have hope it quickly fans into flame the hope in another person who may be hopeless.Studies show that hopefulness of health professionals directly impacts their patient’s hopefulness.[2] We ignite hope in another person when we can help them look forward and see a meaningful future. This allows a person to envision possibilities that they may not be able to see on their own. It requires encouragement, and willingness to journey alongside another through their valley experience. The healing and hope-giving power of a friend is not to be underestimated.
Never has there been a greater need for hope-filled, genuine, life-giving friendships.
Learn more about, or purchase a Hope Pack here
Read more in article: Genuine friendship promotes hope and health
Holding hope
We hold to God’s promise that we will not be tempted beyond what we can cope with (1 Corinthians 10:13) and we bring this surety to every person we have the opportunity to bring our faith-based care to. Namely, that WITH God we can get through things and that when we do experience trouble we know God has overcome it all in Jesus (John 16:33)
Where you can hold hope for others do it with compassion and authenticity, because there is always hope in Christ
…hold hope for the person when they cannot or do not, hold hope for themselves. Just as family caregivers do, the Faith Community Nurses also bring the promise of Jesus “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).
Click here to read more in Faith at Work – Mental Health
- Life Application Study Bible – New International Version, Tyndale House Publishers Inc, Illinois and Zondervan Publishing House, Michigan, 1991, p.2463.
- Dameron, C 2014, The Importance of Hope, Journal of Christian Nursing, Vol 31, No 2, p. 77.