Most Christians focus on hope during the first week of Advent. In Unity, perhaps inspired by the view that “faith is the assurance of things hoped for,” we contemplate both hope and faith as we spiritually prepare our hearts and minds for Christmas …
Think of it as a hope-faith continuum. Hope arises when we glimpse a new possibility. These glimpses can inspire us to make positive changes. They can motivate us to adopt new ways of thinking and behaving …
Increase your hope on this continuum, and enter the realm of belief. We believe because we have an intellectual understanding of how a thing works. We may also believe because it’s what we’ve been taught. The challenge is that it’s possible to have two contradictory beliefs concurrently.
For instance, I believe in an abundant universe. Yet, sometimes, if funds are low, the anxiety I feel betrays a residual belief in lack.
Resolving these contradictions is the domain of faith. It’s in the spiritual dimension that we experience faith as a deep inner knowing arising from divine intelligence …
Blessed are we, for each of us has access to hope, belief, and faith in the Christmas story’s promise of infinite good and love everlasting.
—Excerpt by Rev. Kurt Condra