Anchored

Emma

In social work, there is a current theme being promoted around inspiring hope into people’s lives. I read a recent article that notes “hope is an essential experience of the human condition” (Clark and Hoffler, 2015).

It is generally felt that if someone has lost hope, then they have very little chance of moving past their difficult circumstances. As social workers, we are encouraged to help people find their hope again, by discovering an inner strength and confidence that things will improve.

Despite authors on the subject determined to separate themselves away from any religious connotations of the word, to me, it is very difficult to have hope without God. To me, hope is not just about believing things will necessarily get better and mustering up inner strength, but trusting that God is in it with me, trusting in His promises and in His faithfulness.

Having this ‘hope’ in our hearts, inspires and motivates us more than anything else. When I’ve lost hope, I feel like the bottom’s fallen out of my world and luckily does not last long as I quickly feel God come near. I always lean towards hope – despite whatever the world: the government, the media, friends and acquaintances may be shouting at me.

Hope believes in a better future, a determination to get through these temporary difficult circumstances.

Matt Redman writes “hope will shine inside of this battle. And this too shall pass”.

We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where our forerunner, Jesus, has entered on our behalf.
Hebrews 6:19 (NIV)

This describes hope as something which anchors us – it cannot slip or break under pressure. It keeps us grounded through turbulence and is rooted in the most sacred place where the very presence of God dwells.

I also like The Message version of this verse:

We who have run for our very lives to God, have every reason to grab the promised HOPE with both hands and never let go. It’s an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God.
Hebrews 6:18-19 (MSG)

It portrays to me the image of someone desperately flinging themselves towards God and then grabbing on to a physical hope as a ‘spiritual lifeline’ in a passionate and intentional way.

This isn’t some superficial hope, this hope we have is grounded in Jesus and He anchors us and holds us secure. This is so different to any hope the world offers or anything we can muster up ourselves. It goes right to the heart of us and to the heart of God and is unbreakable.