Where My Hope Comes From
Many of us entered into 2021 with hope that it would be a new page and a fresh start from the troubles that came in 2020. We have made it less than 10 days into this new year and our news feeds are filled with unrest and political turmoil. We have a choice to let these events destabilize our faith, or we can use them to renew our confidence in the Creator of the universe.
We are commanded repeatedly by the Word of God to put our hope only in the Lord and not in man or principalities. Our salvation comes from the price that Jesus paid for our sin on the cross, and our hope is an eternity with Him in heaven. If we begin to place our faith in a person, political party, or ideology that isn’t based in scripture, we are at risk of idolatry.
It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man (Psalm 118:8). Do not lean on your own understanding and acknowledge Him in all your ways (Proverbs 3:5-6). Placing your trust in the ‘princes’ of this world will never bring you salvation (Psalm 146:3). Some will put their trust in politicians and political parties, but we will trust in the name of the Lord our God (Psalm 20:7).
So then, we have to ask ourselves if we believe God is trustworthy? Many of you can look back at times in your life that God brought you through the darkness and to the other side of your troubles. If you have not yet encountered a dark time in your life since becoming a follower of Jesus, let’s look back at Exodus and see how God provided for His people. In Exodus 13, God’s people were leaving captivity in Egypt. God provided a cloud by day and fire by night to remind His people that He was with them. When the Egyptians chased after God’s people in chapter 14, the Lord tells Moses to raise his staff and the waters of the Red Sea parted, providing a way out for His people. You see, God promised He would bring them out of captivity and He did! This happens over and over again in the Bible, despite the wavering faith of the Israelites.
This is the same God that we serve today. He has promised you an abundant life (John 10:10). He also told us that we would have trouble in the world, but take heart for He has overcome the world (John 16:33). Make the choice to put your faith in the God who will ‘supply for every need of yours’ (Phillipians 4:19).
Here are some practical ways steps that you can do daily to keep your faith grounded in Jesus:
Limit your time on social media and news feeds.
Spend time in the Word.
Do not dwell on the current events, rather enjoy time with family or spend time on a hobby that you love.
Place reminders (sticky notes or notecards) around your house or workspace that will help you refocus your heart’s attention on Him.
Remove yourself from political conversations when they begin to get heated and gently remind fellow Christians of the dangers of idolizing their political affiliations.
We will leave you with the words of Paul from 1 Corinthians 16:13-14: "Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Be courageous. Be strong. And do everything with love."
