One of the greatest misunderstandings from those who question a life of faith is that they believe the practice of maintaining hope is nothing more than a folly by those who do not understand how the world works. … At best a childish fantasy, perhaps.

In reality, however, those mature in their faith understand this: Living into hope is a divine act of perseverance, a conscious effort to acknowledge one’s own — and others! — suffering and transforming into a fuel that feeds their courage to hold on for a better day. … A brighter day!

Hope is the antithesis of despair; hope isn’t for the weak but rather is for those who refuse to allow the dark forces of this earthly world grind down their resolve.

Hope is what fueled the Israelites who wandered in the desert without a home for 40 years.

Hope is what generations of African slaves here in this young America clung to when it would have been easy to give into despair.

Hope is what helped hundreds of North American indigenous tribes to imagine a future generation down the line when they would again regain autonomy over their own affairs.

Hope is what helped keep alive so many Jewish people subjected to the unspeakable horrors of the Nazi concentration camps.

Hope is absolutely critical and is inseparable from a life of faith.

I know that right now in America — and maybe the world — the times feel heavy for countless millions, and I see you and hear you.

I understand the anger and the desire to want to lash out while we watch the persecutions of our neighbors of color, those who are Muslim, those who are transgender, those who are homeless, those who may be a refugee or immigrant, or those targeted for so many more reasons.

Again, I see you and hear you! … There are times when I too burn with rage over the acts of violence that seemingly go unchecked with impunity.

But if the Christian faith — and I assume other faiths without firsthand experience — teaches us anything, it’s that living a life of faith is … well … it’s the act of living into hope.

As I write this week with so many troubling questions in my heart, my prayer for you comes from Romans 15:13: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Possessing faith doesn’t promise us a life without losses and heartbreak. Possessing faith doesn’t make us bulletproof or super human.

But possessing faith does teach us resiliency and gives us the courage to rise one more day to bear witness to the fact that darkness doesn’t ultimately win, that light will overcome and that Creation is indeed “very good,” as declared by God. Amen.

Devlyn Brooks is the CEO of Churches United in Moorhead, Minn., and an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America serving Faith Lutheran Church in Wolverton, Minn. He blogs about faith at findingfaithin.com, and can be reached at devlynbrooks@gmail.com.