I will be leaving for a trip to England this week with my only son. It is a trip we have been planning for a long time. It is something that we have been looking forward to for quite a while. It’s his early graduation present and my belated 50th birthday present. It is something that I’m sure we will remember for the rest of our lives. An opportunity to bond together through a unique experience. Something he will hopefully look back on one day with great fondness.
Being born and raised in South Africa, the game of rugby is running through my veins. I played it in school and college and I follow it religiously. And I’m still a huge supporter of the South African rugby side called the Springbokke. Next time you see the license plate on my minivan, you will understand that Bokke is simply short for Springbokke. It has been many years since I have seen the Springbokke play an international match. Right now the Rugby World Cup, which happens every four years, is taking place in England. So during our trip we will be attending the match between South Africa (the Springbokke) and Scotland in Newcastle. We will also be going to the match between the Springbokke and the United States Eagles at the Olympic Stadium in London.
In addition I have been a Liverpool soccer fan since the early 80’s. For the last two years my son has become a Liverpool fan as well. We are passionate supporters and we love watching them play on weekends on US television. It’s always been a dream of mine, and more recently so for my son, to watch Liverpool play at their home stadium, Anfield, in the city of Liverpool. On our trip we will be attending three of Liverpool’s matches. Two at Anfield (against Aston Villa and FC Sion) and then also the local Derby against Everton at Goodison Park. Needless to say, for the next two weeks we will be in sport heaven. At the same time, in-between the games, we hope to enjoy the culture, sights and attractions, especially during the few days we will be staying in London.
What’s interesting to me is the power of looking forward to something. On his website Mitch Matthews mentions that a study published in the American Physiological Society found that participants who simply thought about watching their favorite movie actually raised their endorphin levels by 27 percent. Just by telling participants that they were going to be able to watch their favorite movie… their bodies produced endorphins (which are responsible for increasing a sense of joy and euphoria, increasing retention during learning and helping improve decision making) levels at significantly higher levels than the control group.
He says this research supports the timeless wisdom that suggests that sometimes the most enjoyable part of any activity can be the anticipation of it. In fact, some research has said that simply scheduling a vacation for next year (even if you can’t afford it right now) can boost your sense of happiness and light the pleasure centers in your brain, almost as much as taking the actual trip will itself (mitchmatthews.com).
I believe it is important to have something to look forward to. The anticipation of something, even if it is something small, that you plan to enjoy and relish in the future. I guess it’s similar to having hope in your life. The hope that things will get better. The hope that you will not be in this rut forever. The hope that you are not stuck in your circumstances until the end of days. The hope that you will recover from illness. There is something to look forward to. Something that when you think about it, lifts your spirit and makes you smile. Going on a trip together. Having booked your next summer vacation. Going on a date night with your spouse. Attending a birthday celebration. Visiting your child in college. Setting up a round of golf with your friends. It gives us hope and it energizes us and it rejuvenates our lives. It is the power of looking forward to something.
Paul writes the following in his letter to the Romans, “I pray that God, who gives hope, will bless you with complete happiness and peace because of your faith. And may the power of the Holy Spirit fill you with hope.” Romans 15:13 (CEV). As followers of Jesus Christ, our faith brings us the ultimate source of hope for this world and also the next. The hope we have in the power of the Almighty God. The hope we have in the comfort of the Holy Spirit. The hope we have in the healing presence of Jesus. The hope we have in life in all its fullness on this side of eternity. And the hope we have in a future with our Lord Jesus in heaven for eternity. Our faith gives us hope in all circumstances, because we know that God is in control. And as Christians, we can look forward, knowing that we need not be stuck in our past or held back by our current circumstances. We can look forward with anticipation that our Lord makes everything new. “And the one sitting on the throne said, “See, I am making all things new!” Revelation 21:5 (LB)
And so as my son and I depart on a trip we have long looked forward to with great anticipation, I pray that the power of looking forward may be present in your life. But even more so, that the power of the Holy Spirit will fill you with hope.