“We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope.”
This quote is by Martin Luther King, Jr. His words reflect the way he lived his calling as a pastor and as a leader in the civil rights movement during the 1950s and 1960s. He and many other people who are less well known than he is gave of themselves in order to change the oppressive and unjust status quo and thereby to improve the lives of others. Despite their nonviolent approach to bringing attention to the numerous wrongs that were being perpetrated, they were often treated with violence and imprisoned. And yet, despite the setbacks, they did not give up. They accepted the finite disappointments, and they held onto infinite hope as they continued to make their voices heard.
When I think of finite disappointments, I think of things not turning out the way we want them to. It is especially disheartening when that which we want to happen seems so right, a change for the better. When we experience these disappointments, we need to endeavor to discern whether to try again or perhaps to try a different approach toward pursuing our objectives. In some cases, something not working out as we hoped can be a sign that it’s time to reassess whether that is the direction we should be taking. Making an effort to discern what our inner wisdom is telling us is essential to determining what our next steps should be.
When I think of infinite hope, I think of a hope that is based on faith; a hope that is present despite whatever else is happening in our lives, including the more challenging and difficult times. It is the hope that is present during the darker times as well as during the more joyful times. Infinite hope also involves embracing the truth that only the Creator sees the full picture, and therefore there will be times when we won’t be able to have answers to why something did or did not happen as we wanted it to.
Infinite hope is a gift from our Creator that makes it possible for us to persevere.