What catches the attention of your eyes and ears each day? Is it discouraging sights and sounds of a darkening world, or do you watch for glimpses of good on the horizon? This issue of Mystery’s Voice explores the glimpses offered in our lives, signs that we can live in hope.
My Mysterious Mind
This week I have been pondering discouragement and its opposite, encouragement. This has led me to the observation of two basic questions we might consider in discouraging times. First, we can ask how might this be getting better? Second, if getting better seems unlikely, we can ask how might something better come from this?
When I was sick I felt deeply discouraged, but I watched for signs of getting better. Did I cough less today? Did I sleep better last night? Am I going through fewer Kleenexes today? It is normal to feel discouraged by illness and need encouraging news of hope for recovery.
When Ollie was recovering from surgery, the vet watched for signs of improvement, as did we. On his last morning there were troubling signs of decline but the vet offered a glimpse of hope in his lack of a fever. At day’s end the discouraging signs far outnumbered the encouraging ones, and it was time to declare an end to hoping. At that point our hope shifted to hoping something good might come from the loss of Ollie in this way or at this time.
In those discouraging situations in which hope for recovery or progress is unwarranted, our need for glimpses of hope shifts to the hope of something good coming from the bad. For un-resolvable problems we shift our search for glimpses of hope to the possibility of a benefit to the suffering. Might this difficulty bring deeper relationships or growth in character? Maybe this path, though difficult, is better than the other possible routes ahead.
Discouragement is a feeling as though problems will continue without resolution, darkness will persist without a return of light, and suffering has no purpose or value. When discouraged, there seems to be no possibility of health returning or tomorrow being better than today. The discouraged individual makes little effort for something better because there seems to be little likelihood of a fruitful outcome. The discouraged loses the courage to fight for something better because hope is gone.
Encouragement, on the other hand, translates as putting courage into someone. The encouraged person has hope of solutions for problems, a return of light following darkness, and that pain serves a meaningful purpose for the sufferer. When encouraged, there is hope for improvement from illness and that tomorrow will be at least a bit better than today. The encouraged individual finds strength to work towards something better, with hope of a positive outcome from effort. The encouraged person has courage to fight for something better or for something good, catching glimpses of light in the darkness.
Message of Mystery Acres
The forest offers limited discouragement and no despair to me. There are a few red oaks, weakened by drought, that have died recently from a pestilence passing through the region. But every sunset is followed by a new sunrise in a few hours. In the winter, a time of potential discouragement, the barren forest is transformed into a magical, sparkling wonderland when it snows. In addition, there are glimpses of hope appearing at random times and in unlikely places. Flowers emerge where none seem likely, even in the gravel we had layered in front of the garage. The picture in this issue is of some wild crocus erupting by surprise from that area. There are periodic glimpses of butterflies floating mystically through the woods. And we’ve even caught glimpses of the great American bald eagle with massive wingspan and distinctive white accents.
The glimpses of hope in the forest also include sounds of life. Coyotes can sometimes be heard in the distance, as well as mourning doves and whippoorwills in season. Summer brings drought, temporarily silencing the happy sounds of the brook, but there’s no reason for despair; the voice of spring will chatter cheerfully again in a few months.
Despite hours of exploration, the forest reveals new glimpses in every visit. How have I not noticed berries on that tree before? What peculiar type of mushroom is that? Is that a fossil in a rock I’ve stepped over a hundred times? Rare glimpses of an armadillo or a turtle bring surprise and delight. Recently I’ve found joy in the graceful bend of the road side grasses as they are weighed down by their seeds. These burdens are evidence of the hope of next year’s bounty of grass.
The message of Mystery Acres is to watch with eyes and ears for glimpses of life and hope. The slowed pace and quieted mind are prerequisites for catching those glimpses. Even in the driest day of summer or the coldest night of winter there are signs of good to come. Mystery Acres invites an openness for these glimpses.
Ancient Mystery’s Voice
“Some seeds fell in good soil.” (See Matthew 13:8)
An encouraging phrase used by some people in sales is “Some will, some won’t, so what.” With a recognition that some customers will buy, while others will not, is the basis for this anti-discouragement perspective. Making sales is a matter of overcoming the discouragement of efforts that are fruitless.
Two thousand years ago, Jesus told a teaching story, known as a parable, about a farmer who cast seeds in four different conditions. Some of the seeds fell on the path and were snatched up by the birds, some fell in poor soil where they failed to survive, some grew but the plants were choked by weeds, and some fell in good soil. Only the latter grew to maturity and produced a fruitful harvest.
The farmer in the story could become discouraged by the pesky birds, disheartened by the weak soil, or despairing because of the relentless weeds. Instead, he keeps sowing the seeds, only a portion of which will be successful in becoming productive plants. Which seeds will grow and produce? Some will, some won’t, so what. Instead of focusing on the discouragement of the failed seeds, this farmer is encouraged by the hope of a portion of the seeds becoming fruitful.
Which of your efforts will be successful? Some will, some won’t, so what. Which jobs you apply for will result in a job offer? Some will, some won’t, so what. Who of my readers will open and read what I write? Some will, some won’t, so what.
Ancient Mystery’s voice calls to us to focus on the portion of our efforts that work out well, and not on the discouraging efforts that fail. Some seeds will fall in pointless places. Some seeds will fall in good soil. Ancient Mystery’s voice says to keep planting and find encouragement by catching glimpses of hope in the signs of a successful harvest ahead.
Living in Mystery
The longer I live, the more I become aware of the destructive power of discouragement. Its antidote, encouragement, is also powerful, but requires more attention and intention. Seeing mistakes, focusing on failures, and finding flaws, the energy to improve is decreased through discouragement. Sometimes all it takes is a single word, suggesting hope is pointless, and a situation appears hopeless. Once discouraged, the strength and courage to try is gone.
Encouragement is effective against discouragement, but only if actively and consistently used. The eyes and ears of encouragement have learned to look for glimpses of hope, and to offer those glimpses to each other. Where is there a sign of improvement? What possible good might come from today’s frustration or disappointment? Hope can be elusive but the trained observer can learn to spot it.
As I write this I am having a coughing fit. I had a good night with little coughing and today has included minimal coughing. But, now, as I write about looking for signs that things are getting better, here comes the worst coughing since yesterday. Sigh.
Discouragement can be relentless like that. Fighting the discouragement of a coughing fit, I remind myself of how much better I have been getting. This isn’t a relapse, just a longer gap between coughing fits than the previous days. I am getting better --- overall. Slowly, if not steadily. I refuse to give up getting well!
Giving up hope means hope is lost. To give up hope is to give up trying. Hanging on to hope means a hoped-for outcome is possible.
As an old mom to young parents, are you feeling discouraged by something in the life of one of your children? Have you been trying and trying to get through to them in some important way, only to see no sign yet of it working? I encourage you to watch for the tiniest signs of improvement in your children’s behavior. Catching glimpses of the desired outcome will encourage you to keep striving on behalf of your children. Nothing is gained from giving up.
But is hope for improvement recommended in every situation? No. Most definitely not. Sometimes the reasons to give up far outweigh the reasons to keep fighting, and surrender is the wise and rational choice. Choosing euthanasia for Ollie was such a situation. Then, after he was gone, my thoughts slowly shifted to looking for the good in the loss.
I am reminded of those lyrics, “you gotta know when to hold’ ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, and know when to run.” Holding onto hope when a fight has become pointless or destructive is not wise. I had a professional situation like this last year. I had been fighting for something with great persistence and effort. When it became clear that no paths led to a good outcome, I stopped. I flipped the hope switch for that situation and re-focused on finding good from surrendering the fight.
Catching glimpses of hope requires intentionally looking for good. Sometimes that means looking for signs of progress; at other times it means looking for gains during times of loss. Where is life calling out to you in hope? Tune your ears to listen for it and search with your eyes to watch for it. Live intentionally looking for glimpses of hope and thereby become of sign of hope to others.
Connecting with Mystery
Dear Lord of All Mystery, this life can be so full of disappointment and discouragement. I confess to being drained and despairing more often than I would like. It’s hard to watch for signs of good; it’s easy to just let the darkness be my focus. Help me to open my eyes to the glimpses of hope in each day; help me to train my ears to hear signs of life and good. Thank You for being a constant source of encouragement for me, filling me with courage and strength for myself and those around me. Amen.
Notes from Dr. Mac
If you want to do your own investigation of any of the scriptures I use, I suggest you go to Bible Gateway. This free online version of the Bible allows a search of words or phrases in various translations. The full text of the Parable of the Sower can be found in the book of Matthew, chapter 13, verses 3 through 23.
You can find previous posts of The Adventure of Reflection and Mystery’s Voice at ARCHIVE. You can find the first 64 issues in an organized compilation at Reflective Adventures: Volume One and a reflection of “R” words in the “R-Series”, both in the “My Books” section of my Substack.
You can email me at: Dear Dr. Mac or through the Substack App. I love to hear from you!
Wow! Cindy, you packed a lot into this post. Discouragement and depression are lethal and the world is filled with both. It is hard to make it through some days. Thank God for HOPE! If we didn't have hope we would all be lost.