Keeping Hope Alive
Choosing to live a life of faith is no easy feat. Once we make the choice, the battles will surely come. Our faith will be tested.
Yet, it’s hope alongside faith that keeps us going. “Faith is the substance of what we hope for.” (Hebrews 11)
Faith helps shape our reality — it gives us perspective for what we are truly living for. By faith, we inherit the promises of God — day by day. Hope, on the other hand, is the fuel that keeps us believing. Hope keeps us committed to the journey. It keeps us running this race of faith.
If we want to have a firm foundation for our faith life, we need to keep our hope up.
“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” (Hebrews 6:19, New International Version)
For more than a year now, life has felt anything but “firm and secure.” Personally, this season has required fervent faith to dig up hope for the future. I believe the future is bright, but if I’m honest, there have been days where it just didn’t feel that way. Where challenging circumstances remain the same and it feels as though God’s promises are running out of time to come to pass.
Those feelings are not the truth; God has fas greater things for us to cling to.
Hope will anchor you in seasons of uncharted waters. It will take a hold of you and greatly encourage your soul! How do you keep your hope up to lay a firm and secure foundation? There are three practical ways: God’s word, community and service to others.
God’s Word:
God’s word is not just a storybook of ancient, mystical times. The word of God is active and alive! It judges our thoughts and attitudes. It’s going to filter through the things in our heart that have blocked hope from flowing into the rest of our life.
Maybe society has made you underestimate the power of the word of God. I’d encourage you to read through Hebrews 11 and allow hope to rise in your soul as you read about the great examples of faith from men and women who came before us.
Reading God’s word will build an anchor of hope within you to keep going. It will give you the strength to wait. But, not just wait idly — for our faith has a purpose, a reason and a foundation. If you keep your hope up with God’s word you will learn that as you wait: you won’t grow weary, you won’t be put to shame and you will not be disappointed as it says in the book of 1 Peter, Isaiah and Psalms. God’s word will feed our soul with hope to sustain the foundation of our faith.
“Those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land and enjoy great peace.” (Psalms 37:9)
Community:
Hope is also sustained through godly community. God didn’t call us to live in isolation. He said in Genesis that it wasn’t good for man to be alone and this goes beyond a relational partner. Iron sharpens iron — living in community will simply make you better.
A friend, who is a chef, recently told me that a dull knife does more harm than a sharp knife. If you’re feeling spiritually dull — find a community! It will sharpen your faith, your character and vision.
Giving people around you permission to speak life into you will keep your hope up and will remind you of your “why.” It will give your faith sustenance when it feels like life has lost its zest.
A spiritual life sharpened by community can cut out the lies of the enemy faster than a dull spiritual life who can’t get a firm grip.
Service to Others:
As we get poured into by the community around us, it is only natural that we pour into others.
This is done through service, a pivotal tool to keep your hope up.
It’s simple and it’s biblical, as it says in Proverbs 11:25, “whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.” As you give of your time, gifts, talents and effort to serve others, you will find satisfaction and blessing to your soul. This is priceless.
God has been generous with us and we were made in His image to be generous to others. Something powerful happens when you get your eyes off yourself and look after the needs of others. We become the hands and feet of Jesus! Hope fills our heart when we see God on the move – when He chooses to use us to bring transformation as we serve our communities.
In a world that can feel fatigued, we can keep our hope up through God’s word, community and service to others. What’s beautiful about hope is that it can easily be shared and is highly contagious. Pour a little hope into someone you know and watch as their world (and yours) becomes more firm and secure.