“I heard you’re writing a book?”
“Well, I’m not writing it, exactly…”

Its easy to get discouraged, isn’t it? The right words don’t seem to come, or a deadline looms (or passes!), or someone doesn’t “get” what you’re writing. Family emergencies arrive, bills have to be paid, crises come and go. In the midst of all that, when I’m asked “are you a writer?” all I can say is “I hope I am.”

But that’s the problem… Hoping is exactly what I’m not doing.

I was recently discussing the difference between “faith” and “hope” with a friend. It can be a difficult line to find, but fundamentally, that line rests between knowledge and action, or between concept and application.

“Faith is the theological virtue by which we believe in God and believe all that he has said and revealed to us…” (CCC 1814) Hope, in contrast, “is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ’s promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit.” (1817)

If I believe in Heaven, that is faith. If I believe that I can go there, that God wants me there and gives me the grace to do so, that is hope. Hope is not wishful thinking, but putting faith into action in your heart and mind.

I may have a good idea for a book, but it’s not my book unless I write it. I have to actually sit down and put what’s in my head onto paper, actualize it. I may have faith in a good idea, but do I have hope in executing it? Do I believe that I can make that story or text work?

More importantly, do I only have faith in God’s gifts or do I have hope as well? In other words, do I know that God give good gifts, unique to each person and their calling, but doubt that He’s given any to me?

St. Paul describes “a helmet of hope” as part of the armor a Christian must wear. (1 Th 5:8) A helmet is fitting, as it’s in our heads that despair attacks us. Hope shields us from inaction due to doubt or despair. Hope recognizes that while we’re not perfect, we’re each perfect for the work God has set for us.

Is your armor down? Do you not have hope you can use your gifts? Not sure you have received them? Ask! Pray! This is what the Church tells us (CCC 2657). This is what Christ teaches us (Lk 11:1-13; Mt 7:7-11).

When we are doing God’s will, we can count on Christ’s promise: “If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it.” (Jn 14:14)

Joe Wetterling is a catechist, blogger, and an adult educator with over fifteen years of experience. His interests include philosophy, adult learning, instructional technology, and stoytelling/teaching by analogy. Joe lives in Moorestown, NJ with his wife and son. You can find him online at joewetterling.com and at his two blogs: Ho Kai Paulos (hokaipaulos.com) and The Baptized Imagination (baptizedimagnation.com).