Sometimes I feel as if I am traveling on one of the bullet trains in Europe or Asia as I go through life. The fastest commercial train is the Shanghai Maglev in Shanghai, China. It reaches a speed of 286 mph as it travels from Shanghai’s Pudong International Airport to the city outskirts. I know that my life is not moving that fast, but it seems as if things in the world are changing so quickly that I can’t keep up. Up until 1900, human knowledge doubled roughly every 100 years. By 1945, it was doubling every 25 years. Today, on average, it doubles every 12 to 13 months.[1] Does that make you a little dizzy? It does me!

Well, I’ve got good news! The Earth is still rotating at 1037 mph and completes its rotation in 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds. Just like it has since God created it. Our society runs on nanosecond time, but we still take a breath every 15 to 20 seconds and our hearts still beat only 60 to 100 times every minute.

The problem is that we are carried in the wake of our fast-paced world and begin to expect our souls to keep up.

The Deceit of a Nanosecond Soul

Here’s the quiet lie of our fast-paced world: If everything else can be instant, why can’t my spiritual growth be that way? Why can’t my spiritual growth be instantaneous? Why can’t I be over this grief already? Why haven’t I mastered patience yet?

Our souls were never designed to change at nanosecond speed. And when spiritual growth doesn’t arrive quickly, we assume something is broken — usually us.

But nothing about the Christian life has ever been portrayed as being instant. We have just been “googlized” and “AI’d” with the false assumption that everything should be as fast as typing a prompt, hitting enter, and getting an instantaneous answer.

Spiritual Formation Is Never Fast

The Apostle Paul describes spiritual growth with a phrase that goes against our instant-results culture:

“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NKJV)

Being transformed. Present tense with continual action.

This is what the historic Church has called spiritual formation: not information downloaded in an instant, but your inner spirit shaped over years by repeated exposure to God’s Word, time with him in prayer, and worship.

Dallas Willard put it plainly: …transformation of the inner life is not “hurried,” and any teaching that promises otherwise misunderstands both grace and the human soul.[^2]

Grace is fast. It saves in an instant. But grace is also slow - the slow re-forming of a life into Christlikeness.

Becoming more like Jesus requires that we spend time with him.

Think of his original disciples. They were with him twenty-four/seven.

Practicing Slowness in a Nanosecond World

How do we slow down to allow Christ to form you in his image?

1. Practice mini-sabbaths throughout the day. Slowing down for even five unhurried minutes several times each day - to pray, worship, and focus on God acts like compound interest in your spiritual formation.

2. Measure your spiritual growth in seasons, not days. Ask who you were a year ago, not who you were this morning. We all have bad days!

3. Let waiting do its work. When answers don’t come instantly, resist the urge to manufacture speed. Waiting is often the very mechanism God uses to shape us.

4. Use proven spiritual disciplines. Reading God’s word, prayer, silence, solitude, fasting, and lectio divina are ancient “technologies for a soul” that move us into the slow lane of spiritual formation.

A Slow Hope

The world will keep accelerating. Computer chips will get faster. WIFI will get quicker. Data and knowledge will keep doubling. But your hope was never meant to keep pace with any of that.

Your hope is anchored in a sovereign God who has always worked above and beyond time. He is patient, faithful, and utterly unhurried by our standards.

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you…” (2 Peter 3:9 NIV)

Slow is not the absence of God’s work in shaping your life. Slow is His work — quietly shaping and forming you one ordinary day at a time. The challenge is to walk at his pace and not to run ahead of him.

[1]: https://source.cognia.org/issue-article/defining-learner-success-digital-age/
[2]: Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart: Putting On the Character of Christ (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 2002).

A Poem: Finished

Hiding in the reality
Of the shouting;
Said so loudly,
It can’t be missed!
Said so softly,
It is easy to dismiss;
Said so distinctly,
Said so directly,
Said so deeply,
It echos from
Past to future,
Future to past;
Wooing,
Warning,
Weeping,
Waiting,
For us to agree,
For us to accept,
For us to live,
For us to declare,
For us to shout
Into the darkest night
“It is finished!”

A Prayer: Help Me Live

Lord, you said that it was finished!
As you took your last breath,
You overcame evil and death,
You ransomed me from the Evil One,
You paid the penalty for my sin.
Help me live those truths today!
Help me move above my troubles,
My trials, my temptations.
Help me move beyond the cross
Into the power of the resurrection,
And the hope of eternity with you.

A Passage: For Reflection

When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished.”
Then bowing his head, he gave up his spirit.
— John 19:30 CSB

A Poem: Knocking

Lord,
How often do we stand
At Your door and knock,
Hoping that you will not answer?
We want to see your face,
But we are frightened.
Like little children we knock,
And then run away.
What are we afraid of?
Your majesty?
Your holiness?
Your wrath?
Or are we really afraid of ourselves?
Standing in your doorway…
Ragged
Dirty
Unworthy.
Help us to knock and wait, Lord.
Help us to wait until you appear;
Until you say,
“Come in, just as you are

A Prayer: Encircle Me

Encircle me, O Lord,
Keep faith within,
Keep doubt without.
Encircle me, O Lord,
Keep hope within,
Keep despair without.
Encircle me, O Lord,
Keep peace within,
Keep anxiety without.
Encircle me, O Lord,
Keep love within,
Keep fear without.

-- Based on the Celtic tradition of prayer

A Passage: For Reflection

So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you.
Seek, and you will find.
Knock, and the door will be opened to you. -- Luke 11:9 CSB

Words walk upon the porous page,
From a plain poet’s heart well wrought;
A little-known and silly sage;
Caring not if he should or ought.
Insolent indelible ink,
Which pours forth my secret soul,
With words that stand upon the brink
Of unwritten lines yet to know.
Each verse born with labor of love;
As I search for long elusive line;
Magical words descend from above.
Such marvelous muses are mine?
What soft and eager eye shall see?
Or what heart touched by the sound,
Of this poor poet’s right to be;
Even after he’s long in the ground?
I write not for exalted accolades,
Or applause from a cheering crowd;
Unable to draw the silent shades,
A poet’s heart must speak aloud

A Poem: Assurance of Faith

Jesus said,
”My father is always working.”
Knowing
Where?
When?
How?
Evades our humanity.
Yet he is always there!
Mending hearts of brokenness,
Loving in depths of loneliness,
Protecting lives
In and through time,
Beyond and behind physicality;
An unseen reality,
A certain actuality.
Always!
How do we know?
How can we be sure?
Assurance of knowing,
When we do not know,
Is called faith.

A Prayer: Lord, I Need Your Assurance

Lord, I need your assurance today!
Assurance you are there,
Hearing this prayer.
Lord, I need your assurance today.
Assurance that you care about
Injustice against the helpless.
Lord, I need your assurance today.
Assurance that you care
About those hurting and in pain.
Lord, I need your assurance today.
Assurance that someday
You will make everything right.
Lord, I need your assurance today.
Assurance that you care,
About everything in my life.
Lord, I need your assurance today,
Assurance to show me my faith is real.
Lord, I believe,
Help my unbelief.

A Passage: For Reflection

“How long has this been happening to him?” Jesus asked his father. “From childhood,” he said. “And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.”

Jesus said to him, “’If you can’? Everything is possible for the one who believes.”

Immediately the father of the boy cried out, “I do believe; help my unbelief!”
--Mark 9:21-24 CSB

Every one of us comes into the world with basic needs. These needs fall into three basic areas: physical, emotional, and spiritual. You may remember from basic psychology Abraham Maslow and his hierarchy of needs.[1]

In our modern, first-world existence, most of us have our physical needs met. However, many people spend their entire lives attempting to find and fulfill their spiritual and emotional needs. We are broken people who need repairing both spiritually and emotionally.

Augustine wrote, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”[2] Most of you reading this have settled your spiritual restlessness through a faith relationship with Jesus.

There is an overlap here, however. We really cannot be repaired emotionally until we are repaired spiritually. We cannot be completely repaired spiritually until we are repaired emotionally. Yes, we have salvation, but the emotional baggage we carry around keeps us from experiencing the full depth of that salvation. As an example, we know we are forgiven in Christ, but our feelings of unworthiness and guilt lead us to think we need to do more to be “completely” forgiven. Many Christians who have been forgiven and redeemed still struggle throughout their entire lives trying to find answers for their emotional needs.

These unmet emotional needs are like invisible cages that keep us from moving into freedom in Christ. They are the shackles that we carry around day after day. There are individual and personal cages that keep people emotionally trapped. However, there are four that are universal to everyone. Breaking free of these cages brings us hope. Below is not just what each cage is, but how, practically and biblically, we begin to break free of them.

Cage 1: Our Need for Acceptance

Rejection, whether from a parent, a spouse, or a friend, teaches us we need to perform to be loved. We learn to earn acceptance instead of believing we already have it. This cage causes us to become people-pleasers, who seek acceptance by trying to second-guess other people’s desires.

How to break free:

1. We are to receive our identity from God before we receive it from people. Scripture teaches we are made in God’s image[3] and adopted as His children through Christ. We receive that identity through God’s grace—not based on our performance.[4] Begin each day by naming one truth about who you are in Christ rather than what you did or failed to do.

2. When you are rejected or hurt by someone, take it to God in prayer, instead of grieving over it or pretending it didn’t affect you. Naming the hurt is the first step to letting God, rather than the hurt, define you.

3. Practice being known to safe people. Confide in someone you trust and let them see your real struggle. Acceptance is enhanced in community.

Reflection Question:

Whom am I trying to gain acceptance from?

Cage 2: Our Need for Love

Most of us grew up with love that was conditional, inconsistent, or possibly absent altogether. So we spend our lives chasing love. When we find someone who loves us, we are often never quite convinced it will last. This cage leaves us either desperate for affection or afraid to trust it when we experience it.

How to break free:

1. Focus on God’s love for you. Nothing in all creation can separate a believer from the love of God in Christ[5]. Burn that truth into your mind and return to it when you feel unloved. Let the truth of God’s word correct any feeling of being unloved.

2. Scripture shows that imperfect love creates fear[6]. Only God can give perfect love, and his perfect love expels our fear. When anxiety about a relationship rises, remember this truth. Consider what you are afraid will happen if you are not loved. Then, take those fears to God in prayer, knowing he will never stop loving you.

3. Practice receiving, not just giving, love. Many people are generous givers but poor receivers. Let a others serve you, compliment you, or care for you without rejecting it. Receiving human love well can help you receive God’s love.

Reflection Question:

How am I'm trying to earn someone’s love right now.

Cage 3: Our Need for Security

Our security is shaken by loss, betrayal, illness, financial hardship, and a variety of life’s challenges. Once our security is threatened, we often try to manufacture our own safety through such things as control, money, over-planning, or emotional walls. This cage keeps us fearful of anything we cannot manage.

How to break free:

1. Begin by being totally honest about what you are actually trusting for security right now: your job, money, a person, your own competence, etc.. Hold this up next to Scripture’s picture of God as our refuge and strength[7]. Repentance is often needed here, and shifting your trust back to God.

2. Practice small, deliberate acts of releasing control of things that don’t matter that much. This small step is a spiritual exercise in trusting God rather than your own understanding[8].

3. Building a list of remembrance can help focus on God’s provision. Keep a written list of specific times God has provided for or protected in your past, and refer to it when new fears arise.

Reflection Question:

What is my biggest fear right now?

Cage 4: Our Need for Hope

When we live in the reality of God’s acceptance, love, and security, we will naturally experience hope. Without hope... Well, all is hopeless. Hope is the assurance that God will keep his promises to love us always and never leave us.

How to break free:

1. We can anchor hope in God’s character rather than in our life circumstances. Scripture ties hope to the Spirit’s work in us, not to positive outcomes[9], which means hope can hold even while circumstances remain dire.

2. Scripture reminds us that God will never forsake us.[10] That means that God will always be there for you, keeping his promises. Always!!

3. Surround yourself with people who lean into hope. Isolation keeps despair alive; community disrupts it. Ask someone who is full of hope to be a prayer partner to walk through life with you.

Reflection Question:

How would I rate my hope right now?

If you are in a faith relationship with Jesus Christ, you are no longer condemned to be confined by the cages of seeking acceptance, love, security, and hope. You have been set free! And as John 8:36 says, “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

[1]Abraham H. Maslow, “A Theory of Human Motivation,” Psychological Review 50, no. 4 (1943): 370–396.
[2]Augustine, Confessions, trans. Henry Chadwick (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991), Book I, Chapter 1.
[3]Genesis 1:27.
[4]Ephesians 1:5–6.
[5]Romans 8:38–39.
[6]1 John 4:18.
[7]Psalm 46:1.
[8]Proverbs 3:5–6.
[9]Romans 15:13.
[10]Hebrews 13:5.

Many of you know that I have a vagabond heart. I am always looking for the next trip, next trek, next move—the “next big thing.” As I get older, I am struggling with “settling down.” The desire is still strong but the body says this is getting tougher. I wrote this poem about my interior struggle.

The Sound of Settling

What is the sound of settling,
When you’re a vagabond?
Does it even exist?
Or just midnight mist,
Passing through
A road-weary brain.

Without warning.
Age creeps in,
Leaving you tired from
Constant moving;
But not wanting to stop.
The thought,
The thrill,
The wonder,
Is still there;
But bodies age,
When minds don’t.

What is the sound of settling,
When you’re a vagabond?
Knowing this is
The last move,
The last new place,
Now becoming old.
While wanting to see,
To be,
To experience
Something different,
Something new;
Knowing that being content
Means staying,
Sinking down roots,
Accepting sameness.
Yet, there is always
The call of gypsy horses
In the night.

A Poem: Letting Go

Always looking forward,
Toward tomorrow;
Holding tight to
My vision,
My plan,
My scheme.

The future is mine!
To mold into the image
Of what I want,
What I envision;
So, I hold tight
Not letting go of
Desires and dreams
Of what can be.

But the future is not mine!
It belongs to the Sovereign One!
Only he knows what,
Only he knows if,
Only he knows how,
Only he knows when.

So, I hold tight,
By letting go.

A Prayer: Help Me Let Go

Lord, this day help me
Let go of the design
For doing my will;
Help me lay aside
My pet projects,
My personal plans,
My desires.

Help me step into,
Your presence,
Your desires,
Your plan;
That I might do your will,
Not mine

A Passage: For Reflection

In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps.
— Proverbs 16:9 NIV

I wrote this poem the week that I turned 70. I never thought that I would live this long, but what a life I have been blessed with. I have no idea how much time I have left on this earth, but when I do leave, I plan on smiling into eternity!

At birth
The world
Was a blank canvas;
A palette,
Every color imaginable;
A brush,
Placed in my hand
To paint what could be.

At death,
A self-portrait,
Painted through decades
Of what was and is;
With permanent brush stokes
Highlighting how I lived.

In between.
A gypsy caravan
Across this beautiful world;
Stopping to paint
Breathtaking beauty of mountaintops,
Piercing pain of valleys,
Exhilaration of achievements,
Despondence in disappointments.
A tapestry of
Laughter, tears, trials, and triumphs;
A marvelous adventure
Lived with those I love.

Don’t Run Away From Difficult Conversations

Most of us hate having them, even when we know they’re necessary. And when we finally do have them, we often handle them poorly. I’m talking about hard conversations.

You know the ones—where we need to confront someone about their words or actions. Maybe it’s a teenage child, our spouse, a neighbor, or a friend. Whoever it is, it’s difficult for everyone involved.

I believe the hardest conversations are the ones where we disagree with the other person ideologically, politically, or spiritually.

Here are five common situations requiring difficult conversations (though there are many more):

• A child, relative, or friend who has just come out as homosexual

• A child, relative, or friend who says, “I don’t think I’m supposed to be my birth gender”

• A child or family member who has become estranged, and with whom you desperately want to reconnect

• A family member or close friend with opposite political views

• A family member or close friend who has left the church or is “deconstructing” their faith

Follow Jesus’ Model

So how do we navigate these discussions? While other people are obviously involved in the relationship, Jesus gave us a model showing that reconciliation should begin with us.

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.”
— Matthew 5:23-24 NIV

Jesus’ words reveal at least three important truths:

1. Reconciliation is a priority, not optional
Jesus elevates peacemaking above worship itself. Some commentators summarize it as “reconciliation before worship, without rejecting worship”—meaning we resume worship after pursuing reconciliation.

2. We’re called to make the first move
Notice the text says “if you realize (remember) the other person has something against you.” Jesus calls us to take initiative—even when we’re unsure what we did to upset them. This is the opposite of saying, “I’ll address it if they come to me first.”

3. Relational damage impacts spiritual life
Jesus didn’t say, “Finish giving your offering, then go seek reconciliation.” He said, “Leave your gift and go!” Why? The most reasonable answer is that a broken relationship stunts our capacity to worship God.

Four Pillars for Having Difficult Conversations

How do we follow Jesus’ words and have conversations that bring hope for restored or revitalized relationships? We can build the conversations on these four pillars:

PILLAR 1: Provide a Safe Place

Before the conversation, communicate that you want to talk, but assure them it will be a safe space. Tell them you won’t accuse, belittle, criticize, or condemn them.

Then live it out. Make every effort to ensure it actually happens.

PILLAR 2: Set the Ground Rules Together

Don’t dictate rules—collaborate with those involved to create them. Say something like:

“I think it would be good to set some ground rules for our conversation so we both know what to expect. Here are my ideas. Do you have any to add?”

Then agree on the ground rules together.

Six essential ground rules for a difficult conversation:

• Use “I” statements - “I am...” “I feel...” “I am angry...”

• Avoid “you” or “they” statements - “You always...” “You never...” “They said...”

• No accusations or attacks on the other person(s)

• Do not belittle or condemn the other person’s views.

• Either person can request a break at any time.

• Don’t push for resolution in the conversation

PILLAR 3: Make Love the Center of The Conversation

Listen from a loving heart—not an emotional or belief-driven heart

• An emotional heart can cause you to say things that you may regret later—which won’t move the conversation forward.

• A belief heart leads with your convictions, conveying disagreement or disapproval that can create resistance.

Process in your heart

As you listen, resist any urge to disapprove or refute. Providing a safe place (Pillar 1) means giving them freedom to express their side.

This is incredibly hard! We want to respond and explain where and how we disagree. But a loving heart listens first.

When they are through talking, or when they ask you a question, respond out of love. Do not criticize. Do not condemn.

Instead:

• Let them know they have been heard.

• Let them know they are respected and valued.

• Let them know they are loved.

PILLAR 4: Expect Realistic Outcomes

Understand that the first goal is understanding, not resolution
Often (especially early in discussing sensitive matters), the main goal isn’t to resolve the issue—it’s simply to understand where the other person is coming from.

Remember that this is a process.
Discussing difficult matters takes time. Deep issues can rarely be solved in one conversation.

Stay alert to warning signs.
The discussion can quickly become an argument. If any of the first three pillars are violated, the whole conversation deteriorates and creates the potential for defensiveness and conflict.

The Power of Patience

The apostle Paul said we are to “speak the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). But he didn’t say we have to do it all in one conversation.

We will hopefully have the opportunity to speak truth with the person(s), but if they don’t feel valued, respected, and loved, their mind and heart won’t be open to hear it.

Our job is to:

• Be patient

• Listen

• Understand their viewpoint

• Love them

Once they feel loved, respected, and valued, we’ve earned the right to speak truth into their lives.

God is patient with us! As we are patient with others, there is hope. Difficult conversations take time and patience. But most of all, they require sensitivity to the Holy Spirit.

Remember: The goal of the early conversations isn’t to win an argument or change someone’s mind—it’s to build a bridge of love and understanding that makes future conversations apossible.

Hello, Hearts of Hope Community. I want to share with you a new feature I have added.

I write a lot of poetry! So far, I have composed 24 poems in 2026. That is almost a poem a week, which is my goal for the year. I currently have over 30 poems “in process.” These range from a couple of lines to the poem almost finished. Most of my poetry is Christian in nature. However, I do write poems that are not specifically Christian. Lately, I have been pondering how to share these poems and where they might live.

I recently discovered that Substack, where I post Monday Missives, has a feature called sections. You can create a section separate from your main publication, with its own place for writing to live and its own mailing list. So, I have created a new section titled “Poems Greg M Cole.”

In this section, I will be posting poems that will not appear in Monday Missives. They will be poems that are not generally Christian, but I hope still express the beauty and power of poetry. Sometimes, they will have an explanation of where or how the idea for the poem originated, but not always. Sometimes, it will be just a poem. The posting will be random, with no set schedule. However, the first poem will be coming your way this Saturday.

Because you are on Hearts of Hope email list and already receive my current posts, I have added you to this new poetry section mailing list. If for any reason you do not want to receive these poems in your inbox you can unsubscribe at any time. I hope you won’t unsubscribe, but realize that each of us are different with unique likes and dislikes.

On another note, I try to be responsive to suggestions concerning content. So please let me know if there is any area or subject that you would like for me to address.

Thank you so so much for being a faithful follower. May you be richly blessed by the Lord, as He gives you joy and hope!

A Poem: Life Is Music

Music begins with life itself.
Before our first breath, we sing;
With our heart-pulse in the womb.
Little children know this!
They dance before they can walk,
They sing before they can talk.
The music is sometimes silent,
But always loud enough,
If you will listen.
Sunrise symphonies,
Cloud concertos,
Songs on summer breezes.
Your breath humming softly,
Your eyes blinking in rhythm,
Your heart beating a tune.

Sing daily life’s song,
Thrill to its calling tune,
Dance to its melody,
Treasure its symphony,
Until death’s final crescendo!

A Prayer: Lord, Let Me Dance

Lord, let me dance into this day with joy!
Let me hear the eternal music placed in my soul.
Allow me to listen to your notes of grace and mercy,
Let me see where I sit
In this grand orchestra called life.
Let me feel the beat of your heart,
So I can move to its rhythm,
So I can be in tune with you this day.
Let me dance to your holy music,
Let me sing to you a new song,
Giving you praise and glory,
Along with the choir of angels.

A Passage: For Reflection

Sing a new song to the LORD; let the whole earth sing to the LORD.
Sing to the LORD, bless his name; proclaim his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations, his wondrous works among all peoples.
-- Psalm 96:1-3 CSB

Don’t You Just Hate Rules?

I must admit that I have a love-hate relationship with rules. I think that I am like most people in this respect. We agree that rules are necessary, but some seem unfair. We don’t like them because we believe that they limit us in certain ways. Although rules have a universal reach, we often feel as though they are directed toward us and stifle our activity. But rules are necessary. In their absence is chaos.

One Christmas, many years ago, one of my nephews told everyone that he had a new card game called Mao that he wanted us to play. So, eight of us got around my parents dinning room table, and he dealt each of us a hand of cards. He then told us that the purpose of the game was to figure out the rules. The game went something like this. As each of us tried to play a card, he would say something like, “You can’t play that card. You lose your next turn. “Or, “That card reversed the direction, and you played out of turn. Take two cards.” Mao also includes a strict "no talking" policy, which, if broken, means that you have to lose your turn or take extra cards.

The game went on for what seemed like a very long time. People got frustrated. People got mad. One niece got up and stormed out of the room saying, “This is stupid!”

After a while, a few of us began to understand some of the rules and could play without being penalized - some of the time. After a long time of frustration, humor, and anger, he told us the rules—which were absolutely insane.

Rules are needed. Rules help us understand life (and card games). Rules, however, are more than statutes that control behavior in a society, organization, game, or activity.

One definition of rule is that it is a foundational guidance system, core principle, or “basic norm” for our actions. This is the meaning Jesus was getting at in Matthew 7:12—what we call “The Golden Rule.”

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
--Matthew 7:12 NIV

Almost every society and religion has some form of this rule. However, they are not all equal. In fact, most fall short of what Jesus was saying.

THE SILVER RULE

• Buddhism says, “Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful” (Udana-Varga 5:18).

• Hinduism says, “One should never do that to another which one regards as injurious to one’s own self” (Anusasana Parva 113:8).

These statements and others from various religions are really not equal to the words of Jesus.

Can you see the difference?

Other religions teach what we might call the “Silver Rule” - It says, “Do not hurt others in ways you would not like to be hurt.” The Silver Rule approaches interaction with others from a negative viewpoint. Don’t hurt others because you wouldn’t like to be hurt.

THE GOLDEN RULE

In Matthew 7:12, Jesus says - “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

This moves beyond not hurting to showing compassion and care.

The Golden Rule displayed.

Jesus gives a perfect example of living the Golden Rule in what we call the story of the “Good Samaritan.”

Jesus replied with a story: “A Jewish man was traveling from Jerusalem down to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. “By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A Temple assistant walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. “Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.“ - Luke 10:30-37 NLT

The story is a vivid example of the Golden Rule in action. If we were robbed and left to die, we would certainly want someone to render us assistance.

THE PLATINUM RULE

But Jesus actually calls us to a higher standard than the Golden Rule! Listen to his words!

“You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. --Matthew 5:43-45a CSB

“This is my command: Love one another as I have loved you. -- John 15:12 CSB

Jesus calls us beyond just “doing no harm” and “treating others as we would like to be treated!” He calls us beyond the Silver and Golden Rules to what we might call the Platinum Rule.

• The Silver Rule = Do No Harm to Others

• The Golden Rule = Love Others as Yourself

• The Platinum Rule = Love others as God has loved you

Jesus calls us to live by the Platinum Rule—to show love to others by lavishing upon them grace and mercy, just as God has lavished his love upon us.

However, we cannot do that on our own! It is impossible! In our own strength. We do not have the capacity. We are basically selfish people. The only way we can live by the Platinum Rule is to let God empower us.

The challenge is to let the Holy Spirit give us both the desire and the strength to live by the Platinum Rule. In this way we are living out the hope we have in Christ. Remember that the biblical meaning of hope is “a confident trust or an assured expectation.” When we live by the Platinum Rule, we have the assured expectation that we are living the way Jesus desires -- not the way the world expects.

A Poem: Hope Dies When the Soul Becomes Brittle

Hope dies when souls become brittle,
Aged by cynical thought;
Stiffened by hurt,
Struck sideways by pain,
Wrinkled by old routines,
In worn out wineskins.

When faith falters,
When love leaves,
When joy drains,
Fear enters;
Hope descends into a hole
Hidden by ogres of despair.

Oh, soul of mine,
Stay flexible,
Stay young,
Sail into tomorrow,
Sit in the starlight,
See the rising sun.

Oh, soul of mine,
Lift up your gaze,
Into a new day,
Into a new life,
Renewed
Resurrected,
In the presence
Of the maker of souls,
The author of hope.

A Prayer: Author of All Hope

Author of all hope,
I come today,
Leaning into your presence,
For you only can give true hope;
Hope that goes beyond
What is happening in my life,
And all that surrounds me.
Allow me this day
To realize your hope,
That transcends everything:
Pain,
Sickness,
Events,
Attitudes,
Emotions,
Even death.
Infuse my life this day
True hope that only you can give.

A Passage: For Reflection

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his [promise.]()
-- Hebrews 10:23 NLT

If you know anything about me, you know that I am continually “tweaking” things to make them better. I am a bit of a perfectionist and think, “Just one more change can really improve this.” Over the last several months, I have been thinking and praying about how to improve the Christformed blog.

The Need For Hope

The word that kept coming to mind as I pondered the future of this blog was “hope.” As I have reflected on my conversations with both Christ followers and those who do not profess Him, social media posts, and current news articles, I have come to the conclusion that there is a tremendous need for hope in our world today. I also realized that most of the poems and prayers in my Monday Missives had that focus.

So, Christformed is morphing into a new newsletter called “Hearts of Hope.”

What To Expect With Hearts of Hope

The underlying scriptural foundation for the newsletter is Romans 15:13.

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
— Romans 15:13 NLT

Remember that the original word in the Bible translated as “hope” is not wishful thinking, like “I hope we get some rain.” It is a strong assurance, through faith, that God is in control and that “in the end, everything will be alright.” But also realizing that it is not the end yet.

As the Apostle Paul said:

Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
(2 Corinthians 4:16-17 NIV)

Here is what you will find most weeks in the Hearts of Hope posts that come in your email inbox each week.

Monday Missives: Each Monday, there will be a Poem, A Prayer, and A Passage of Scripture with a specific focus.

Friday Articles: On most Fridays, there will be an article of about 1,000 - 1,200 words, or a three to five-minute read. Your time is valuable, so I try to keep my articles short and to the point.

My prayer is that what I write will indeed help you “overflow with confident hope” as you continue to live in our fallen world.

Moving Ahead

Change is always disruptive in one form or another. You may decide to unsubscribe from this newsletter. If you do, I won’t be offended. If you decide to “hang on with me” and continue to be a part of this ministry, I would ask you to pray for me.

• First, pray that I would be consistent in posting each week.

• Second, pray that I would be led and empowered by the Holy Spirit to write words that are encouraging and full of hope.

And, if you feel led, you can “buy me a cup of coffee” using the button below. I have made a commitment never to charge for my online writing, but a “cup of coffee” sure does encourage me.

Thank you so much for your faithful support. I am encouraged by you!

I leave you with the first stanza of an old but powerful hymn.

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My comforter, my all in all
Here in the love of Christ I stand

If you want to hear the entire hymn, with a Celtic sound, CLICK HERE.

A Poem: Before You Speak

Before you speak,
Fear kills the thoughts,
Buried in your heart.
You wait for them to emerge,
But they never do.
They hide in the shadows
Of loneliness,
Of sorrow,
Of hurt;
Too personal to share,
Too raw to express.
They hang in the air,
Dangling their feet,
Just above our conversation
Waiting for courage
To step into the moment;
Waiting for opportunity,
Waiting for an opening,
That might be,
That could be;
But never is.
So, they leave
Through the quietness,
Beyond the silence,
Dying in their loneliness.

If only I was
Beyond my selfishness,
Beyond talking about me,
Beyond filling the space
With meaningless chatter.
If only I truly listened,
Your thoughts would
Emerge from the shadows,
And you would find freedom
To share.

A Prayer: Help Me Move Beyond

Father, this day help me
Move beyond my selfishness.
Help me
See beyond,
My needs and desires.
Help me
Center this day
Around you.
Help me
Listen to your heart;
That I might hear you,
That I might become more like you;
Help me
Listen to the hearts
Of those you bring into my path;
That I might reflect you;
That I might love them as you do.

A Passage: For Reflection

Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.
— Galatians 6:2-3 NLT

I don’t know about you, but it is easy for me to “tune out” the present moment and take a trip to a faraway mental land. A land where I attempt to relive a past event or a land where I try to construct an unseen future. Always living in the present moment is difficult for me!

Running into the future or reliving the past are the real dangers in our lives? Dangers that threaten our hope and our security? This danger goes beyond a shaky economy. Inflation or the threat of an enemy country. The real danger each of us faces each and every day is our escaping our own “ought’s” and “what ifs.” They are dangerous because they try to steal our hope!

Even though we exist in the present, the current time and place, we often step into the past. We backtrack through our memory and dwell on what we could’ve, should’ve, would’ve done differently. We lament decisions we made or didn’t make. We rewind and reword in our minds what we said and should have said. We pull our past with us like a U-Haul trailer. Every time we look in the mirror, it is there—crammed full of our “ junk.”

Our brains constantly remind us of the mistakes we made. Sometimes we are fortunate to see the victories, the things we did correctly. But then our “ought’s” and “shoulds“ jump to the front of the line, yelling and screaming, “Remember me!” Like a two-year-old child throwing a tantrum, they do everything they can to get our attention. We try to push them away and forget about them. We try to focus on the present or on the positives of the past. We might be successful for a while, but they seem to always come back. We can’t seem to erase the thoughts of what could have or should have been.

Likewise, our “what ifs” also step in to haunt us. When we are not focusing on the past, we are speculating about the future. What if the economy crashes? What if I get diagnosed with cancer? What if I lose my job? What if my retirement investments tank? What if… What if…

We can actually get pretty creative with our “what if’s.” We can come up with some pretty wild scenarios. And that creativity seems to always lean toward the worse!

The main problem with these two enemies is that they remove us from real life. We do not live in the past or the future. We live in the now—the present moment. When our focus is on the past or the future, we miss the now!

The past is just that - the past. We do not have a time machine to go back and relive it. There are no “do-overs” in real life. There are indeed consequences of our past words and actions. We can sometimes make adjustments that correct or soften those consequences, but we cannot undo what has happened.

We also do not have a crystal ball that can tell us the future. We have no idea of what tomorrow will actually bring. The only guarantee we have is the present moment!

The guilt of our past and the worry about our future actually immobilize us in the present. They keep us from ever being fully engaged in the now. Our minds are always occupied with where we’ve been or where we are going.

So how do we overcome “ought’s” and “ifs?” How do we stay in the present moment? Here are four steps to take in defeating the enemy of “ought’s” and “what ifs.”

First, we must make a conscious commitment to live in the here and now. What is past cannot be relived! The future has not happened yet. Cognitively, we know this, but emotionally, we often believe that rehashing the past or speculating about the future will somehow enhance our lives. The first step is to consciously make a commitment not to go there.

Second, we need to recognize that our “ought’s” and “ifs” are actually fantasy worlds. Everything we think about them comes from our imagination, not reality. Yes, what did happen was real, but how we might have changed it is pure fantasy. We cannot go back in time and change what happened.. The future has not happened, and what we think might happen is speculation. It may or may not happen. Trying to predict what will happen in the future is futile.

Third, we must forgive ourselves for our past decisions and actions. The Apostle John tells us that, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” 1 John 1:9 CSB. If we truly believe John’s words that God forgives us, then we become presumptuous when we fail to forgive ourselves.

Fourth, we step into the hope of our relationship with God. Hope is the real key to living in the presence, for is actually the expectation of what is certain.

Let us hold firmly to the hope that we have confessed, because we can trust God to do what he promised. – Hebrews 10:23 NCV

God has given us so many wonderful promises. Those promises might be summed up in the Apostle Peter’s words: His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness” 2 Peter 1:3 CSB. One major promise for living life is hope.

Henri Nouwen shares that “hope frees us from the need to predict the future and allows us to live in the present, with the deep trust that God will never leave us alone.”1

Hope allows us to live in the present, because we know that God is in control. He holds us in his loving arms, no matter what has happened in the past or what will happen in the future.

Stepping into the fantasy land of our past “ought’s” or the future “what ifs” is so tempting and so easy. However, because of our hope in God we can rise above these enemies and be totally present in each moment. When we do, we enjoy a deeper sense of being and belonging. We enjoy the blessing of living in the present!

A Poem: Time

Time will slice:
Twenty four
In every day.

Time will entice,
Every step
Of the way.

Time won’t discriminate;
Everyone the same
Measured amount.

Time never waits,
No matter how
Much we shout.

I wish I had more;
Thirty six in each day
Would be simply sublime.

Still not enough,
To get everything done;
Even with infinite time.

A Prayer: Lord of All Time

Father God,
You are the Lord of each minute,
For you are the Maker of Time.
No mater how easy today might be,
You desire that I give you the glory,
No matter how hectic today is,
You desire that I seek your stability,
No matter how difficult today is,
You desire that I lean hard into you.
Maker of Time,
Make this day a day of realizing
Your presence,
Your purpose,
Your power,
That I might live
As your beloved child,
Held in your strong arms.

A Passage: For Reflection

Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk-not as unwise people but as wise - making the most of the time, because the days are evil.
— Ephesians 5:15-16 CSB

A Poem: My Heart

My heart aches!
From…
Hoping,
Hurting,
Watching,
Waiting,
Searching,
Seeking;
As all of creation
Groans and gropes
For re-creation to come.

Like the Velveteen Rabbit,
I have become real;
Tattered an torn,
Weary and worn.
Feeling the weight
Of a broken world;
That I can’t change,
That I can’t rearrange,
To do justice,
To love kindness,
To practice humility.

Meanwhile…
In His power,
In His presence.
I long for the new
Heaven and earth,
Waiting for His return!

A Prayer: Listen to My Heart

Father, listen the words of my heart,
That go beyond my mind.
I think I know what to pray,
But I do not.
I give to you what is going on
In my life,
In the lives of those I love,
In the world;
But they do not reach my heart.
I don’t know how to pray that deeply,
I don’t know how to voice the unvoicable.
So, I live in the promise of
Your Spirit knowing my heart,
Even more than I do,
Lifting up its depths to you.
Father, listen beyond my words
And hear my heart.

A Passage: For Reflection

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
- Micah 6:8 NIV

This is my 100th Monday Missive. Wow! Have I really written that many poems in two years? I have been looking at the open rates (how many times a specific post has been viewed) for everything I have posted over the last two years. Monday Missives have been by far the most popular posts. The other posts have traditionally been viewed only about two-thirds as many times.

In 1963, Bob Dylan wrote “The Times They Are-a-Changin’”. Indeed, the times are -a-changin,’ and Christ Formed is also going through a change. Don’t worry! Monday Missive will not change. There will still be a Poem, a Prayer, and a Passage most Mondays.

But starting later this week, there will be a new element called Christ-Forming Questions, or CFQ for short. Most devotional writings contain a passage of scripture, a short commentary or story, and a prayer. There is nothing wrong with them — except most tend to be somewhat shallow in actually helping form a person in Christ. In other words, they do not ask you to think very deeply. My hope is that CFQ will lead you to think deeply about how you are and can be formed more into the image of Christ. The format for the new Christ-Formed Questions will be:

• A Wednesday and Friday post based upon the scripture that I will be teaching the following Sunday in the Bible study class I teach.

• Each post will contain a passage of scripture and two to three deep and thought-provoking questions for you to consider.

• In the weeks I am not teaching, there will still be scripture passages with questions to consider.

I will also be posting longer articles on Medium, a very broad-based platform. On this platform, my posts will expand to include topics that are not specifically Christian in nature. I want to broaden the scope of my writing, and I think Medium is a better platform to do that. Since you are a subscriber to Christ Formed, you will be automatically signed up to my new site on Medium - gregmcole.online. Just like on Christ Formed, you will receive an email each time I post an article or poem. If you do not desire to follow me at gregmcole.online, you may unsubscribe at any time (it will not affect your Christ Formed subscription)

Now for Monday Missive #100!

A Poem: Ever Present

Ever present,
Everywhere,
God is with me;
Even when I don’t feel it.

Ever present,
Everywhere,
God goes before me,
Even when I can’t see it.

Ever present,
Everywhere,
God guides me,
Even when I am unaware.

Ever present,
Everywhere,
God protects me,
Even when I am careless.

Ever present,
Everywhere,
God has been,
My past,
My present,
My future;
Leading,
Guiding,
Protecting,
Even when I am unaware.

A Prayer: Lord, You Are Faithful

Father,
You have given me this day.
Another day of life.
Help me live it aware of
Your presence,
Your love,
Your grace,
Your power,
Your wisdom.

Help me to see
How you have
Guided me,
Protected me,
Gone before me,
Led me.

Help me live this day,
As a testimony
Of your faithfulness.

A Passage: For Reflection

“Am I a God who is only close at hand?” says the LORD. “No, I am far away at the same time. Can anyone hide from me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and earth?” says the LORD.
— Jeremiah 23:23-24 NLT