The Other Side of Pain – “Hope Killers” (Part 1)

By: Karen Polich

Are you killing your own hope?

1 Peter 2:1 “Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.”

Peter knows. He knows what it is like to destroy your own hope. Peter understands the pressure and temptations that come with difficult situations. He knows about lashing out at others when hurt or scared. Peter wielded the sword in the garden, he spoke the denials. If anyone can talk about what you need to rid yourself of to keep your hope as a believer, it is Peter. His words are clear. “Rid yourselves…” The internal sins of malice, guile and envy will be expressed externally through hypocrisy and slander. Our own shortcomings can tempt us to speak against someone to make them look bad, but we may only be tearing down ourselves. Our hurts and frustrations are not resolved when we choose to respond with a sinful heart. As Pastor Michael Cook has discussed in this series, hope conveys love with integrity, intensity and identity. (1 Peter 1:23) How can we do this?

 We can rid ourselves of hope killers because our hearts are different.

1 Peter 1:22 “Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.” The heart of a Christ follower is different. It is a heart filled with the Living Hope. The hope that holds us together when we are hurt, wounded, and confused. We are going to experience situations in life that are difficult. We shouldn’t take up the things that will hurt us and do more damage. Rid yourselves of these things because they will bring you trouble, and that trouble will invade every area of your life. What about you? Are you choosing hope?