You are my hope, O Lord God.
Psalm 71:5 NKJV
Psalm 71:5 NKJV
Vaclav Havel is a former president of what used to be Czechoslovakia. In 1948 the Communists took power in his country and confiscated his family land holdings. From that time, Havel was part of a defiant underground that opposed the Soviet government.
When the Soviets marched into Prague twenty years later, Havel remained to form a coalition that would gather strength and be ready to take over when the time was right. He spoke out boldly, writing defiantly against communism. He was put under surveillance and eventually jailed for his activities.
In 1970, several U.S. senators met with Havel in Czechoslovakia. They brought what they thought would be good news for him. They told him they intended to press for legislation allowing dissidents like himself to emigrate to the West.
Havel replied by saying he was not interested in going to the West. "What good would that do?" he asked. "Only by staying here and struggling here can we ever hope to change things." Like a watchman in the night, Havel stayed on duty in his country.
Times of trial and struggle often seem like long, dark nights. But doing the right thing--even the hard thing--gives us hope. How do we maintain those long night watches when there seems to be little change in our circumstances?
When the Soviets marched into Prague twenty years later, Havel remained to form a coalition that would gather strength and be ready to take over when the time was right. He spoke out boldly, writing defiantly against communism. He was put under surveillance and eventually jailed for his activities.
In 1970, several U.S. senators met with Havel in Czechoslovakia. They brought what they thought would be good news for him. They told him they intended to press for legislation allowing dissidents like himself to emigrate to the West.
Havel replied by saying he was not interested in going to the West. "What good would that do?" he asked. "Only by staying here and struggling here can we ever hope to change things." Like a watchman in the night, Havel stayed on duty in his country.
Times of trial and struggle often seem like long, dark nights. But doing the right thing--even the hard thing--gives us hope. How do we maintain those long night watches when there seems to be little change in our circumstances?
- Take one step at a time. Don't attempt to tackle the whole task at once. "A man's steps are directed by the Lord" (Proverbs 20:24 NIV).
- Keep your struggles in perspective. Separate the mountains from the molehills. "What then shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31 NIV).
- Cultivate the discipline of delayed gratification. "But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing" (James 1:4).
- Learn to recognize the invisible God in the world around you. "By faith he [Moses] left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; for he persevered because he saw him who is invisible" (Hebrews 11:27 NIV).
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