Apr 15

Apr 15 Where is Your Hope? Is it Strong Enough to Secure You?

The Source of Your Hope Determines Your Peace and Stability

For 10 years I battled depression ( I was a Christian for four of those years), and for 3 years I struggled with anxiety. I know what it is to feel hopeless, to have your thoughts run rampant, and feel like you’ve lost all control. By the grace of God that is no longer my reality, but if it’s your reality then I want you to know there is hope.

In my teens and early twenties, I put my hope in two main things: my achievements and my relationship status. As long as I was excelling in school or at work and had a man by my side, I was happy. But when I found my self heart-broken, unemployed, and moving back home with $200 to my name…I spiraled. At the time I didn’t know how I got there, but hindsight is 20/20. I hit rock bottom; stripped of everything that gave me confidence and security. How did I get there? By rooting my hope in shake-able, temporary things.

It’s tempting (and easy) to put your hope in a temporary and created thing because it feels secure, that is until it isn’t. If, like me, you put your hope in a person or a job, how will you cope when it’s taken away? Will you be overcome with feelings worthlessness? Will you have the strength to go on?

Our hope must be in something immovable; strong enough to anchor us in the most intense storm. Jobs can be terminated, loved ones may pass away unexpectedly, and a major life event can clean out your savings account in a minute. Putting your hope and confidence in people, money, titles, or achievements is a recipe for disappointment. There is only one sure foundation - Jesus Christ. He doesn’t change and is not controlled by the economy, government, or culture. He is the alpha and the omega. Nothing catches Him by surprise.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” - Hebrews 13:8

Where is Your Hope?

If you’re not sure if your hope is in Christ or something of this world, I want you to ask yourself these three questions:

What is my biggest fear? That is, if [blank] was taken away from m you, you’d be filled with fear and/or not sure how you’d survive.
What defines me? What makes me valuable and significant?
What is my ultimate goal? (Think about the big picture for your life - what is the ultimate thing you’re working towards?).

I use to believe my value came from being “wanted” by a man. So when I had a boyfriend I was content, and when I didn’t - I found another one QUICK (Not healthy, at all)! My ultimate goal in life used to be becoming a successful businesswoman and making six figures, but over the years that changed. I realized that goal was much too low and insignificant.

My ultimate goal now is glorifying God with my life and hearing Him tell to me, “Well Done, Good and Faithful Servant” when I meet Him in Heaven. Everything else pales in comparison because Jesus is my hope. He is the source of my joy, confidence, security, peace, and worth. If I reach my earthly goals but fail at living for Him - then it was all vain. I know whatever I do for God will not be wasted. It will have eternal consequences and rewards. If the earth is not our ultimate home then why would its rewards be our ultimate hope?

“The things we pursue in life might be good goals, but they are not the end goal” - Tiffanie butts

Put Your Hope in Christ

In Matthew 7, Jesus tells us how the wise and foolish build their life,

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.” -(Matthew 7:24-27).

If your hope is in anything but Christ, you can change that! We put our hope in Christ by surrendering our life to Him and submitting to His authority and teaching. When we obey his commands and follow His Word we are building our life on a strong, immovable foundation. The more you’re rooted in Christ, the less swayed you’ll be by the storms if life. This isn’t to say they will be easy, but you’ll have peace and strength to endure them that far outweigh your own. You’ll learn to worry less because you’ll know God is in control of all and therefore can give you anything you need.

I encourage you to surrender your treasures, worries, fears, and dreams to God and let Him truly be your source. You can’t be sure what the future holds, but if you put our faith in the One who holds it, nothing will be able to shake you.