DARKNESS.
- whatshesaid2020
- Oct 29, 2021
- 3 min read
DARKNESS. The first person to use this proverb was Thomas Fuller, an English theologian, in the year 1650. It appeared in his work titled, A Pisgah-Sight of Palestine and the Confines Thereof.
The phrase/proverb “darkest hour is just before the dawn” means that there is always a ray of hope even in the worst situations, or circumstances. The phrase is used to give hope to someone who is not sure about the results of their efforts.
Before Thomas Fuller, the Bible talked about the night and the dawn. “When I lie down I think, ‘How long before I get up?’ The night drags on, and I toss and turn until dawn” Job 7:4.
If you read the book of Job (not job) you will know that this man had his share of trials and tribulations, however, he praised the Lord through his circumstances because he had hope. He had a new beginning.
I thought about this phrase as I attended the funeral of a childhood friend this past Monday. The theme was "Finally Home" as she was a woman of faith and lived it daily. Her family are believers, and while they are comforted by the fact she is in heaven, its those left behind on earth that grieve and tend to see the darkness before the dawn. They need everlasting hope.
Hope is a powerful word. It can be used to encourage, lead, inspire, and strategize. Yes, even hope is a leadership strategy.
Glenn Llopes, author of 5 Ways Leaders Keep Hope Alive in Difficult Times, stated as you evaluate the ways that you can responsibly use hope as a leadership strategy to enable your employees to reach their goals, dreams and aspirations – take a look at these five ways that hope influences positive social engagement, a more disciplined state of mind and mental/physical well-being (Forbes.com)
Hope renews faith - Hope resets your belief system and allows you to renew your faith in a message, person and/or people support groups to help you become more accountable for the betterment of yourself and others.
Hope builds self confidence - Self-confidence becomes a platform to accept fresh thinking and motivates us to make new choices in our careers and life.
Hope promotes empowerment & clarity - Hope broadens our observations and gives us the circular vision to see around, beneath and beyond the goals we seek.
Hope helps increase productivity and underscores a positive work ethic - Hope reminds us that we must be more entrepreneurial; that survival, renewal and reinvention is a way of life.
Hope instills family pride and togetherness - This is why teambuilding is so powerful. By leveraging one another’s unique strengths and capabilities we become more hopeful and can accomplish much more.
What I believe is that hope transcends who we are into who we can be. It is that belief in something bigger than ourselves that will guide, provide, inform, and love us when we are confused, troubled and lost. It is the light in the darkness.
For me, like Sharon, my hope is in Jesus Christ as my personal savior. I've known my belief system since I was a little girl growing up in the church and it has sustained me through the dark times in my life. Yes, even Christians know darkness, but it's always temporary "as joy comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5) and never without hope.
When you consider hope as a leadership strategy, do you have a belief system? Does it motivate you? Do you experience circular vision? Do you practice relationship building? Teambuilding?
This week I would encourage you to read the full article at: https://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2013/08/19/5-ways-leaders-keep-hope-alive-in-difficult-times/?sh=200ea471431f
You never know when the darkness will come, but with hope you will see the light. I promise.
I dedicate this blog to my friend, Sharon, who believed in and preached hope in her personal and professional life daily. #shero
What She Said ~ Beverly
Comments