A light in the darkness – hope gets us up in the morning and gives us the strength to face another day. But all too often we’ve built our hope on a sandy foundation. We must ground ourselves in a deeper hope to provide a true anchor for our souls.
We all want to live a good life and we’re prone to put our hope in many things we believe will help us realize our heart’s desires.
For some, following science is the answer. While for others, it’s electing certain individuals to office or passing certain laws. Still others believe aligning themselves with certain social movements is the path toward the good life.
To be sure, these all have their place and can be very beneficial. But they’re a shallow and sandy foundation at best.
Our ultimate hope remains in Christ alone. And we have nothing to fear when he is our life.
It seems easier to remember this when heartaches strikes and disappointments come.
The foundation of our hope is exposed in depths of despair. And we’re quick to return to God whenever our expectations have not been met and uncertainty overwhelms us.
But perhaps the greater danger of forgetting God is when life is going well. When things turn out as we had hoped we become tempted to look to the things of this world for life rather than to God.
In doing so, we turn even good things into idols.
Whether we’re on the highest mountaintop or in the deepest valley, we must remember that God is God. Looking to anything or anyone else will ultimately disappoint.
The ups and downs of this life are not the end of the story. And deeper hope keeps our eyes fixed on the larger story God is telling.
Whether disappointed or elated, remember to anchor your hope in Christ alone.
Photo by Dennis Ottink on Unsplash
