Hope In Christ

I’m not quite sure why, but there is one thing that is super comforting to me…. 

Stability. 

I hate chaos, I hate disorder and I hate change. But this life… It is SOOO unpredictable. Things are changing constantly. The country is changing, the president changes, spouses change, kids change, careers change…UGH! 

.... People and circumstances are always changing. Not only do things constantly change, but the chaos, disorder, and confusion… it’s all around us, you cannot get away from it. The pandemic, cities going up in flames, racial tension, hatred, division, evil, the list goes on and on.....

This life can feel very unpredictable and super unstable....I think we can all agree on that...

But even though I've never found real stability here in the world, I have found comfort in the fact that God is unchanging. “He is the same, yesterday today and forever”(Hebrews 13:8). He is described in scripture as our Rock.“For who is God except the LORD? Who but our God is a solid rock?” ( Psalm 18:31). What is more stable and stronger than a rock? In this life, I’ve found that it is only the Lord that can provide for me the stability and solid ground that is so very comforting to me.  

In a conversation I had recently, I had someone share with me their worry and fear about the upcoming presidential election…This person was in pure panic mode about the thought of their president of choice not being elected. I could sense the trepidation in their voice when they stated that there was no hope for this country if their preferred president was not elected. They admitted that they would feel a sense of hopelessness if who they voted for wasn't in office. This person who I love dearly, is fully dependent on the outcome of the election. There is a whole lot at stake for them... It's their hope that will be ripped away if the election doesn't go in their favor. No wonder why they are in panic mode. I would be too!!! 

I cannot imagine the sense of hopelessness and devastation after the election if who they voted for is not elected. That is the problem though…. When we put our hope in anything other than the Lord, we will be disappointed. Those things will fail us.... Maybe not today or tomorrow, maybe not a year from now… but at some point they will fail us. Then what!? When those things we have put our hope in fail us, what are we left with? 

I’ve noticed that when I take my eyes off Jesus and start putting my hope in this temporary, imperfect, always changing world, that is when I feel the waves of instability and hopelessness creep in. I’ve found that those things that we turn to for hope outside of Christ, they never actually give us what they promise. We put our hope in so many different things… People, politics, possessions, money and so much more. We grab hold of these things hoping that they will provide for us what our soul craves. They seem to be so promising, but the reality is.. .. They will always let us down. 

I have found the Lord who is the author of hope, is the only One who will never let us down. He will not only shower us with his love, but also provide for us the comfort, stability, peace, and hope that our soul craves. I too have been tempted by distractions and have found that it is very easy to put my focus and hope in things other than Christ. I’m not saying choosing the Lord is easy by any means, I will be the first to admit how hard it is to change old habits.... but my point is... We have a choice. We have a choice to either dwell on and put our focus on our circumstances, the pandemic, politics, and the chaos all around us, or we can turn our focus on the Lord. 

As Christians we are blessed with the opportunity to show others the hope we have in Jesus, but when we lose sight of the Lord, we lose sight of what is important. It becomes soooo easy to let the unpleasant circumstances, negative thoughts, and the feelings of fear and worry rule over us.... especially right now with everything going on. What saddens me most right now is to see fellow Christians lose sight of what is important. 

A Christian’s primary goal in life should be to love God and love others, but when we take our focus off the Lord it is impossible to love others like we ought to. Too often I have witnessed worry and panic in the hearts of fellow Christians, rather than peace. I have witnessed fighting and hatred, rather than love, and have witnessed a lack of unity and stones being thrown at the other side when it comes to politics. My heart mourns for those who do not yet know the Lord, but are witnessing these things from Christians. I understand we all fall short of perfection, I do daily…. but as we lose sight of what is important....when we lose sight of God.....we lose out on one of the greatest gifts we have in this life…. To share God’s love and hope with a hurting world. 

[“I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

John 13:34-35]

There is so much hurt, sorrow, confusion and hopelessness in the hearts of so many people right now. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the chaos and uncertainty in this world right now, you are not alone.I really have no advice or words that will be of much comfort, but I do know someone who does. The Lord’s truth and love comforts the most hopeless, confused and broken hearts. There have been dark times for me in my life, but it is God who has provided for me the guidance, comfort, stability and hope that my soul craves. All this confusion and disorder may come as a surprise to us, but not to God. He is not shaken by the instability. I pray that if you do not have your hope in Christ, that you go to Him. He will never fail you and will provide you with all that you need 🙌❤️

Psalm 33:20-22

We put our hope in the Lord.

He is our help and our shield.

In him our hearts rejoice,

for we trust in his holy name.

Let your unfailing love surround us, Lord,

for our hope is in you alone.