Faith, Hope, and Love

"Within the darkness of Faith

Runs a current of Love,

Revealed to the eye by that bright ray of Hope."

Darkness of Faith. Isn't it true that at times we are required to be still and listen. To be still and wait. When there are no sounds, no whispers, no feelings. It is interesting how dependant we are on feelings, and yet Faith is so much more than that. I've learned that over the years. Times that require the most Faith can be the darkest times. And yet, the results are the most fruitful, I would think, because perseverance and patience show just how faithful a friend we really are. These dark times can prove our character, making us stronger at the same time. Faith requires us to act in the dark. Faith acts in the night, with the belief that the sun will break the darkness in the morning. It always rises again, even when the night is darkest. Faith is the belief that the rain will end and the flood will recede. Even if the entire earth is covered. Faith acts when the soul is empty and the dryness is at its worst - a drought that forces us to forget the gentle winds and beating rains, the quenching of thirst or the soothing of the cool air. Imagine what joy when the sun rises, the flood recedes, the drought ends - and all along we have had faith!

Current of Love. There are places on this earth where a river runs deep beneath the ground. A strong current that feeds the lakes and streams that mark blue lines across the map. There is a current that sustains the deep lakes that have no visible source. There is a current that feeds the ocean with fresh water turned to salt, or that changes the salt back into fresh water. Science can explain this better than me. There is a current of love that allows women to wait for their loved ones in battle. I watched "The Lost Valentine" last night - a woman waited at a train station for 66 years on each Valentine's Day, hoping that her husband (who went missing in action during WWII) would one day come back to her as he promised. She continued with her life, but always with the hope that maybe he was still alive somewhere. He wasn't, as the movie will tell (spoiler alert!), but her heart was not bled dry. A current of love kept her on her feet, helped her heal as she waited, helped her move forward when she knew, helped her continue living and waiting. For death is not the end. There is also a current of Love that spurs us forward during the Darkness of Faith. It is the reason why we continue moving forward. It keeps us on our feet, helps us heal as we wait, helps us move forward because we know that it does not end there. Love is not dead. Darkness is not the end. Love will remain in the end.

Bright Ray of Hope. We hope for the sun to shine. We hope for the floods to recede. We hope for the drought to end. And it always does. We hope for the same in our soul. We hope to hear His voice. And if we listen in the darkness, if we bathe our heart in the current of Love, if we are patient and do not expect bright lights and fireworks, we will find what our heart desires most. His voice. His plans. His warmth. Our faith will be rewarded - both in this life and the next. We will find what we are looking for (even if we are not sure what that "something" is in the moment). Hope moves us forward. Without hope, what do we have in this life? Hope is the "anchor of the soul".

"We remember your work produced by faith, your labour prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope." For these we live; and the greatest of these is Love.