These past 2 weeks have been…challenging, to put it mildly. But Pastor Jim’s sermon on Hope yesterday really put things in perspective for me.
I often catch myself putting my hope in other things: my job, my church, my relationships. And these aren’t bad things, but more and more I’ve found myself becoming consumed by them rather than giving glory to God for them.
But when the big waves come…when work suddenly becomes overwhelming and draining instead of a joy, when church suddenly seems full of demands and obligations instead of comfort, when relationships suddenly feel like frustration and unhealthy codependence instead of safety and openness…I find that Jesus is more than enough to keep me standing firm. He is my anchor, my hope.
I can’t rely on my own strength and put my hope in the things and people around me without God lovingly knocking me back to reality. I don’t need to work harder, or give to the point of mental breakdown to earn His love and favor. It’s when I fall flat on my face and say “I can’t do this anymore, I need You!” that He shows me the greatness of His power.
Pastor Jim quoted 2 Corinthians 12:19 yesterday:
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
That made me think of this song we used to sing at church back home. I just pray that it fills you with the real, living hope that can only be found in one source.
