hope – Dr. Ron Newman

Seeking Balance to Maintain Hope (Part 3)

“Hope is faith waiting for tomorrow”, as John Ortberg wrote in Faith and Doubt. At present, the world is waiting for creative scientists to develop tests, treatments, and even preventative vaccines for a virus that is causing world-wide turmoil. The church is expectantly waiting for the return of Christ hoping for a revival of faith in the world.

Meditate on Rom.8:18-25

Embrace a positive mindset. Whatever negative experiences we are going through, an optimistic mindset can help us see the positive parts of our lives as well. Hope can lead to gratitude and happiness. Samuel Johnson wrote “Hope is itself a species of happiness, and, perhaps, the chief happiness which this world affords.”

Meditate on II Thessalonians 2:16-17; Romans 15:13; Jeremiah 29:11

Seek models of hope. Healthy relationships with others who are optimistic in their approach to life can influence you toward a more hopeful attitude. Hope is contagious. Build those relationships.

Meditate on I Corinthians 11:1; Ephesians 4:1-7, 11-13; Hebrews 12:1-3

Professional help. If you find yourself stuck in a mindset with no hope, seek professional help from clergy or a mental health professional. They can help you identify unhealthy thought patterns resulting in low self-esteem, unresolved grief issues, and chronic depression, among other things.

Meditate on Proverbs 11:14; Ephesians 4:11-13;; Proverbs 24:5-6

Ronald S. Newman, Ph.D. is a psychologist in Mays Landing, NJ who now does teletherapy in NJ. He can be reached by phone at: 609-567-9022. Hammonton Gazette has first rights to publish, May 2020.

Photo by cru.org

seeking balance

Seeking Balance to Maintain Hope (Part 2)

The Hope score on Dr. Seligman’s Learned Optimism test, he indicated, was the most important score of all. As Seligman went on to explain, we can learn to be more hopeful. We can learn to think in optimistic ways. Helen Keller famously said “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement; nothing can be done without hope.”

Meditate on: Hebrews 6:17-19

Set goals. The hopeful mind embraces goals and the plans necessary to achieve them. These require a visionary future, even as you think realistically about the present. Be ambitious, hoping for the best.

Meditate on Ezra 1 & 6; Nehemiah 1 – 6

Define your own future. You are responsible for your own choices in life, and hope embraces that power and choice of direction in life. Your past does not determine your future. You do. You are not a pawn of fate.

Meditate on Ezekiel 34:7-9; Rom. 8:12-17; 10:8-13

Smile frequently. Tune in to every opportunity to pass on a smile to others. This will help you connect with them, even during circumstances that seem to pull people further apart. Smiling is difficult with a facemask on, but even your eyes can smile. ☺

Meditate on Philippians 4:4; Mark 10:13 -16; I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Improve yourself. Life brings opportunities for growth through the difficulties we experience. As you recognize these opportunities, you’ll be shocked how quickly growth can come forward.

Meditate on James 1:2-5; II Timothy 3:16-17; I Thessalonians 5:12-14

seeking balance

Seeking Balance to Maintain Hope (Part 1)

Hope has been called an anchor of the soul, because anchors provide stability to help us survive the storms of life. We all need hope, and the losses and challenges many have experienced due to COVID-19 are creating new storms for most of us.

What follows are some tips to help in times like these:

Accept positive pessimism. This is rationally approaching the possible things that could go wrong, and then planning how you would deal with each option in a calm and thoughtful manner. It is not getting stuck in fearful thinking, catastrophic thought processes or a helpless mindset, but rather planning for positive action steps.

Meditate on Acts 27:14-44

Reinforce your courage. Courage is not the absence of fear, but is discovered in the overcoming of it. It is facing a world full of difficulties, and tackling the problems one by one in a manner that believes you will find victory with God’s help, if you show persistence.

Meditate on II Samuel 23:8-39

Seek solutions. Avoid getting stuck focusing on problems and fears of the future, but instead, embrace the idea that solutions are available for those who seek them. Learn to be assertive about exploring God’s gift to you of creative options. Think outside the box.

Meditate on Judges 7 & 8

Photo credit: cornerstoneofhope.org