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Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad –\u00a0 Proverbs 12:25<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Just as a heart attack is considered a silent killer because its symptoms\u2014like indigestion or muscle aches\u2014are easily mistaken for other issues, hopelessness can also remain undetected by those it affects. It lives within the person who accepts demeaning and potentially harmful behaviors because they witnessed them at an early age. It drives the individual who allows an economically distressed community and its negative image to dictate their future goals and aspirations.<\/p>\n Metaphorically speaking, hopelessness is like a well-trained pickpocket that distracts its targets with busyness and daily demands, so that the absence of expectation for a better life is overshadowed by what\u2019s perceived to be normalcy.<\/em> This is the thought that came to mind as I pondered the opponents of hope and how they are often masked by the tasks associated with life.\u00a0 Consequently, time expended in trying to stay attuned to obligations and responsibilities lessens and even prevents the entertainment of dreams, until aspirations are reassigned and eventually removed from one\u2019s mind.<\/p>\n Jesus’ warning to Peter that Satan desires to sift him (Luke 22:31) can also be applied to the devil’s desire to dismantle one’s dreams and aspirations. He knows that hope coupled with faith is an unstoppable team, which is why he will send opponents to dissuade and discourage. This is why we must take preventative measures to safeguard a vital component for an optimistic outlook.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad –\u00a0 Proverbs 12:25 Just as a heart attack is considered a silent killer because its symptoms\u2014like indigestion or muscle aches\u2014are easily mistaken for other issues, hopelessness can also remain undetected by those it affects. It lives within the person … <\/p>\n