Most of us are very myopic. (For those who don't know, that means near-sighted.) We can't see much farther than the end of our finger-tips. What our hands can touch right now - that's about all we can focus on. What's going on right now, in front of us, takes up all our attention and energy. It's actually a fairly immature way of looking at the world, but one we get caught up in all too often, especially when we face challenges.
 
            For example, what about your finances? Perhaps you are so used to not having enough money that all you can think about is food for today. Yes, God promises us our daily bread. But is being broke the way you're going to live indefinitely? Will you always be in debt, paying for necessities with credit cards and never having enough, being dependent on other people for things?
 
            Or what about your family? Perhaps most days you and your spouse are just getting by. You tolerate each other, and because you don't spend a lot of time fighting you assume that this is just about as good as you can expect. There's not much intimacy - emotional or physical. You don't communicate much - not really. And you've come to just focus on just getting through one more day, almost waiting for something bad to happen.
 
            It's the same for just about any addiction, as well. You've become so used to relying on whatever you're addicted to that you can't imagine getting through the day without it. Perhaps it's alcohol, or pain pills, or tobacco, or other drugs. That kind of mindset leaves you feeling tired, defeated, and hopeless. Tomorrow's not going to be any different, or any better, than today. And you feel powerless to do anything about it.

            Being able to see a different tomorrow makes a big difference in your life today. Hope has a lot to do with seeing a different tomorrow. Hope is not just an empty wish, but a sense that something can, just maybe, really get better! And hope changes things. We know, for example, from scientific studies that a sense of hope causes real changes in the biology of the brain. Substances called endorphins are released that make you feel better, block pain, and give you a sense of energy.
 
            Hope is not an unrealistic denial of reality. It doesn't deny the cancer, or the addiction, or the bill collectors. But it does paint a picture of a possible change in that reality. It might be scary, but maybe I'll beat this cancer! It will be hard, but I'm going to get past this addiction! I'm not going to live in debt forever! We've got some tough things to work out, but I value my marriage enough to work on making it better! We're going to get through this!
 
            We interviewed a couple on the Dr Carol Show recently who had faced cancer. It was serious, and they had no assurance from the doctors that Mark would make it. But both Mark and Tricia told how they faced his treatment with the assurance that whatever happened, they would be OK. Of course they hoped he would beat the cancer. But Tricia said, "If Mark didn't wake up from the surgery, I knew somehow I'd be OK." Mark told how he was certain that whether in this life or in heaven, he would be OK. That kind of hope makes lots of things possible!  (Click here to listen to Mark's interview.)
 
            In another interview, Elise expressed how important hope was in finding her freedom from a lifestyle involving financial dependency, prescription drug addiction, and a violent destructive relationship with a man involved in crime. Choosing to imagine a different life helped give her the strength to break free and learn how to live differently. It was a big part of how God worked in her heart to change her way of looking at the world. And that hope has grown bigger and bigger so that now she can imagine reaching out and helping many others. (Click here to hear the interview with Elise.)
 
            Having hope for a better future makes you see your problems differently. That hope may come easier to some people than others, but you CAN choose to look forward with hope. Elise, Mark, and Tricia all talked about how important prayer was in looking at their specific situation with hope. God is with you in the middle of wherever you are, and will be there tomorrow. You too can imagine a future where you are healthier, freer, and happier than ever before.
 
             A big part of the gospel is the message of hope: you can have a different tomorrow! You don't have to keep living in the same mess you find yourself in now. That mess may be an obvious sin problem. It may be breakdowns in your family relationships. It may be financial distress, or physical illness, or emotional fear and anxiety. Jesus came to give you a better tomorrow!
 
             And that tomorrow doesn't end in this life. Perhaps the most powerful hope of all is the hope we as Christians have of a future forever! Paul said this in 1 Cor. 15:19. Our hope of a resurrection and a future forever with God makes what happens here in this life only a prelude. With the hope of heaven, even death in this life is not really the end, but only the beginning. If you aren't sure of a hope beyond life on this world, talk to God about it. He's willing to listen, and to give you the hope of a future forever!
 
Back to the Future
 
            The future is always unknown. And that can be scary in many ways. But knowing that God is there relieves so much fear. Since God is not bound by time, He's the only One who has truly been "back to the future!" There are no surprises for Him. And He has been to your future as well. Nothing that comes to you will be bigger than He and you can handle together.
 
            Think of it this way: God has already visited the next moment in your future. He's checked it out, and is waiting there for you. He is saying to you, "It's OK. Come on in to your next moment. I'm here, and will be here with you." You never enter a moment alone: God is already there.
 
            Where are you in life now? What do you see in your future? What would you LIKE your future to be? If you are stuck somewhere right now, start to imagine yourself living differently. Imagine what it would be like to lose the weight and be more physically fit. Imagine what it would feel like to be out of debt. Imagine a marriage where you and your spouse share deep things of the heart with each other, and care about each other's welfare even more than your own. Imagine living through even one day without that addiction. Imagine knowing the reason God put you here on this planet, and living every day closer to fulfilling that purpose.
 
            Much of psychology focuses on the past, and that's all well and good. Many times it's absolutely necessary. We all need to deal with where we have come from, but we shouldn't stop there. God is not tied to the past, and He doesn't want us to be either. He desires us to move forward into our future - with Him! With whatever future is in your heart, don't let it go! Dare to dream of freedom, of joy, of a life where you make a difference in the world. Hold on to the picture of where you want to be. Let your heart call out to God: He is walking with you into that future. You'll not be there alone!
 
            Let me encourage you again to imagine your future. Imagine being the kind of person you know you want to be, and living the life you were made for. And ask God to open your eyes to what future He has available to you. Walk with Him into your tomorrow knowing He's already been there. With Him in your tomorrow you can truly have hope!